The Reins of Leadership
by Moonlite Star
Summary: COMPLETE! With escape on her mind, Max is made CO and forced to lead a unit that hates her. Will she still want to escape when people depend on her? MA, AU, Post AJBAC, Manticore fic. Lydecker returns! Syl and Krit return! Brin returns!
1. New Beginnings

**A/N**: I've been planning on writing a Manticore fic for a while now. I just couldn't figure out when I wanted it to take place. I've read many that take place after the escape with her capture or where she didn't manage to escape. I've read some that occur after AJBAC. They all present an interesting AU where we see more of Manticore, both the good and bad. I just recently got this idea, so I'm taking it for a spin and seeing how it will turn out. Reviews appreciate and suggestions welcomed. I haven't really thought about the pairings yet, but if anyone has a preference, feel free to let me know.

**Chapter 1: New Beginnings**

**2020: Manticore, southwest Seattle**

Max had been placed in isolation as soon as she no longer needed the constant attention of the medical staff, but that didn't mean she felt great. Her stitches were still healing, so she had to be careful not to pull them. The slot on the door opened, revealing a pair of eyes. Fresh food was offered through a larger slot below.

"State your designation."

"My name's Max!"

The food was removed as the slot closed.

Max sighed. It had been the third day she had turned away food. Their bodies were engineered to go days without it, and she was going to take advantage of that, but in her weakened state, food seemed more desirable. For one, it would help her heal faster, and she wouldn't feel so tired from her body already working overtime to repair itself as soon as possible. She wasn't ready to give in though, not now, not ever.

As she laid on the bunk, her mind drifted back to the dream she had of making love to Logan in the moments before her life slipped away. Logan was still out there, probably thinking she was dead. After all, she did die in his arms. She would have to get out soon to let him know she was still alive, but she couldn't do that if she was going to be kept in isolation, or psy-ops. She would have to play along, but she also had to make sure they believed it.

After her display these recent days, she had made it clear she was not interested in cooperating. She would have to hold out a little longer if this show was going to be believable. The following day, she said nothing when the guard returned, asking the same question. The guard watched suspiciously.

When she saw him waiting for a response, she gave him one. "Kiss my transgenic ass," she muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear.

The guard walked away, taking the food with him. She would break soon, he thought to himself. He smirked as he finally had something positive to present to Director Renfro.

On the fifth day, she stayed quiet the whole time when the guard brought food. It wasn't too difficult, as she was in the middle of a nap when the loud clank from opening of the slot awoke her. Her body had weakened even more the past couple of days, but her wounds were nearly healed. The stitches had dissolved and only a scar remained where she had undergone surgery.

The guard waited impatiently as silence greeted him. "State your designation," he repeated once more.

But Max said nothing, and so he turned away.

On the sixth day, she felt even weaker, and decided today would be the day she started to play along. She had held out long enough, and she was certainly starting to feel the hunger creep up on her.

"State your designation," the guard demanded.

"X5-452," she mumbled.

The guard could not hide the triumph in his eyes, and Max could tell she had played her part well. She just had to keep it up.

"State your designation," the guard demanded, louder this time.

Max raised her voice as well, knowing what he wanted – a strong, firm answer. "X5-452!"

The guard walked away, leaving the food and some water with 452.

Max took the food and filled her stomach, downing the water after she had finished everything. Her body was already beginning to feel better.

Max then relaxed, mentally preparing herself for harder times ahead. They would put her into Psy-ops for reprogramming, now that she was "accepting" her soldier identity. They would make her forget all she cared about outside. They would make her a soldier again. She promised herself she would not forget the people on the outside. The only problem with that – she would have to forget them before they could make her truly forget. So with that in mind, she assigned everything that ever meant anything to her a keyword and locked her memories away, putting the rest on hope.

**Seven Months Later, Manticore**

"You wanted to see me, ma'am?"

Renfro looked up to the psy-ops scientist in front of her. "Your report – 452 is ready to return to training?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Your report indicated that there were some subtle signs that she still maintains her old identity when she was outside."

"Yes ma'am, but the case was the same with 734. These...identities were created while they were young at Manticore. The only way to completely erase their identity is to erase their earliest years here, but that would erase their training as well."

Renfro nodded and then asked, "How do you suppose an X5 unit would respond to her command?"

The scientist looked at her in surprise. "Ma'am?"

"Hypothetically, if she were made CO of a unit, how would they treat her?"

The technician shifted from foot to foot. "Ma'am, after the escape, the X-series were programmed to believe that the escapees were traitors and deserters. Although they were also trained to obey their commanding officers, taking orders from a traitor would most certainly lead to conflict."

"How much conflict?"

"I'm not sure. It would depend on 452's ability to lead. Ma'am, if I may advise, placing 452 in such a position is not beneficial for group morale. Not only that, but 452 lacks 11 years of training. Any unit she is assigned should be able to easily overpower her."

"Oh, I'll give her some time to catch up," the Director announced, with a small smile. "A month should suffice."

"Ma'am, it's not possible for her to learn eleven years of training in merely a month."

"She better learn quickly then. Thank you. You may go now."

The scientist nodded and left, not quite understanding Renfro's decision.

Renfro browsed through 452's profile that was displayed on her computer. The unit that escaped encompassed the best soldiers Manticore had to offer. 452, although one of the youngest in her unit, still excelled above her peers in numerous fields. Her personality profile was fit for leadership.

The Director knew, however, that 452 had developed many more friendships on the outside than 734 ever did based on the psy-ops reports. There were indications that she may have even loved someone, but psy-ops was unable to find anything concrete. If 452 gained any of those memories back, she would have no desire to serve Manticore. Even now, the Director doubted 452 belonged to Manticore. No, 452 was merely playing along until an opportunity would present itself to escape, and she couldn't let that happen – the Committee would not be pleased.

Giving 452 a unit was risky; she could turn them all against Manticore if she knew what she was doing. And after the damage three of the other escapees had done, the power of a unit was unimaginable. Yet, if she wanted to keep 452 here, then giving her a huge responsibility might just do the trick. She won't care for her unit at first, especially with all the trouble she can expect from them, but after a while, being a commanding officer can change a person. Renfro knew 452 would eventually watch out for them, as she would do for her siblings, and when that happened, 452 would once again belong to Manticore. Besides, if things go wrong, she could always take it out on 452. Who could complain? She is a traitor, after all. Renfro smiled to herself. This would work. It has to.

Renfro was disrupted from her chain of thought as a guard arrived and announced his presence.

"Come in."

"Ma'am, 452 is here to see you."

"Thank you. Bring her in."

The guard stepped back as Max entered the Director's office and saluted.

"State your designation," Renfro simply began.

"X5-452!" the soldier standing before her yelled.

Renfro stood up from her desk and paced for a bit. It sounded clear, loud, and confident, just like any other soldier would sound, yet she heard it – a slight tone of rebellion and mockery. Yes, 452 was merely playing along.

Renfro smiled as she asked her next question. "How does it feel to be home, 452?"

"Great, ma'am!" Max had rehearsed this phrase over and over to answer this type of question, yet saying it was still difficult, and Renfro could tell. But Max was in for a surprise, for instead of receiving a trip back to Psy-ops as she had expected, Renfro continued by welcoming her back to training.

"I've been told that you are ready to begin training. What do you think?"

"Ma'am, I am not in a position to say." Max knew it was another trick. She could tell Renfro was already suspicious of her.

"Very well then. You are to report to the training field this afternoon at 1300. You will begin your training with X5 Class Alpha. You have been assigned Cell 306. You will find your training schedule inside. Class Alpha is composed of the current top-ranking units. I expect that they will help you catch up. Within a few weeks, you may find your place among a new unit, but in the mean time, you will follow the orders of any instructors."

"Yes, ma'am."

Just as Renfro was about to dismiss her, she added in a lightly threatening undertone, "Oh and 452, I suggest you take your training seriously. You'll be needing it in a few weeks, and you have a lot of catching up to do."

"Yes, ma'am." Max tried to ignore the small smile upon Renfro's lips. She knew this woman was seriously planning on making her life living hell. Well, this place was already hell, and she was here living it, so how much worse can it get? She saluted and walked out, followed by the guard that had brought her here. The guard took her to her cell and left.

Max sighed as she examined the training schedule. Things haven't changed much since she left. There was still the standard hand-to-hand combat, escape and evade, weapons and marksmanship practice, engineering courses, espionage tactics, and so forth. It was going to be a long day. Psy-ops had left her with random gaps in her memory and filled it with the Manticore mantra of duty, discipline, and honor. She couldn't remember her life outside very clearly, but she saw blurred figures of friends she knew she once had. There names were gone, something she knew she did before being brought to Psy-ops, because all she could tell the people at psy-ops was a vague description of people she knew and names she had made up ahead of time. She had a vague idea that she loved being outside, no matter how much Psy-ops had pounded into her that the world outside Manticore was filthy and not her place. She still had memories of her old unit, as well as bits and pieces of the escape, but there were still gaps even there. They wanted her to forget how she escaped, as well as why, but they wouldn't let her forget that she did escape. They wanted her to know that she was a traitor, and that her actions were wrong.

Throughout the sessions, Max kept reminding herself not to believe them, but it was rather difficult when there were transgenics that specialized in telecoercion. Yet, every few seconds, she would remind herself. She was not going to give herself up to Manticore. She had too much to lose.

Max changed into her training clothes and quickly memorized her schedule. She was not exactly looking forward to the inevitable meet and greet. As 1300 approached, she exited her cell and headed towards the training field. X5 Class Alpha was scheduled for hand-to-hand combat. She could use a little ass kicking. It certainly had been a while, and she was dying for some action.

When she arrived on the training field a few minutes in advanced, she saw several other X5s already standing around, conversing amongst themselves. It was the size of a typical unit. She wondered how many units would make up Class Alpha.

Not to her surprise, an uneasy silence filled the air as the X5s became aware of her presence. So Max kept her distance and continued surveying the rest of the Manticore training grounds. The Seattle facility was not too different than the Wyoming facility, except that it was much bigger.

"You must be 452," a voice approached her from behind.


	2. Sparring

**A/N: **Well, it seems this story is off to a good start. There's enough reader interest (yay!), and I've already written to chapter 14 in less than a week. 0.o So I had a lot of ideas for this story and definitely will be continuing it. I'll be pacing my updates though. Writing to Chapter 14 certainly gave me an idea of which direction the pairings would go, and I've decided since I want Max to stay at Manticore, it will be M/A. Logan is kind of...just forgotten. There is no Eyes Only trying to destroy Manticore...yet, as far as I know. I'd rather not kill off Logan though. I probably won't incorporate the Familiar plot. That just makes things a bit...crazy. But we'll see. Maybe if I run out of things to write about. You'll also see a few familiar dialogues from the season two episode Designate This - thought it would make things a bit interesting to see things happening in a same way, but for different reasons. Anyway, thanks to all who reviewed, and I might be looking for a beta, I haven't decided. but if you're interested, let me know. Thanks for reading and please review!

**Chapter 2: Sparring**

"You must be 452," a voice said from behind her.

"And you are?" Max asked, before turning around and coming face to face with a familiar face, stunning her into silence.

"I am X5-494, CO of Unit 6," he introduced.

Max took a few seconds to get over her shock. As soon as she saw him, memories came back of everything that involved Ben. So he was a twin...or clone. Of course, she had seen Ben die in her arms. There was no way he could be alive. Then again, she too had died, yet they brought her back to life.

"I heard they caught two escapees when you guys blew up the DNA lab. It's all over Manticore," 494 continued as a matter-of-factly. "Everyone knows who you are."

The guy looked just like her brother Ben, yet there were some features that made him noticeably different. His eyes revealed an air of confidence, as did his tone of voice. Ben's eyes reflected creativity and happiness. 494's yielded a hidden darkness, like most Manticore soldiers. There was a coldness in them that sent shivers down her spine. Of all people, this clone had the nerve to bother her on her first day. She wanted to be left alone. She didn't want anyone to get in her way when she would escape this hellhole. That meant no friends, no acquaintances, no one. It can't be too hard – everyone hates me already, she thought. Psy-ops tried to brainwash her into believing her brothers and sisters were traitors and deserters, but that was something they would never manage to accomplish. In her heart, she knew who they were to her, and no amount of psy-ops would be able to change that.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" 494 smirked.

Max clenched her first. She already decided she did not like this guy, not one bit. By now, she was aware that all eyes were on the them. "You just reminded me of someone I know," Max retorted. "But clearly you're not him. He didn't have such a big ego."

494 laughed. "Me, a big ego? Now that hurts. What makes you think I have a big ego?"

Max smirked. "No one's ever told you before? That's a shame. I wonder what other things people haven't told you..."

Now 494 was getting annoyed, but he smiled again as he thought of a new topic. "This is Class Alpha, composed of Units 4 and 6. We're the best of the best, so why are you here? You lack eleven years of training. You'll only slow us down."

"Director's orders," she finished casually. But it was then that the reality of the situation hit her. She wouldn't slow them down, not much, but they would leave her behind. She would suffer the consequences. Renfro stuck her with them so that she could "catch up". These instructors would not excuse her for lacking training. If she didn't learn fast, things would only get worst. The bitch wanted her to suffer. She wondered if Brin experienced the same welcoming treatment.

Their X5 hearing picked up the arrival of their drill instructor (DI), so the groups dispersed and lined up at at attention. As soon as their drill instructor arrived, he inspected the soldiers one by one, stopping in front of Max. "Designation?" he barked.

"X5-452, SIR!"

The drill instructor's eyes, which once demanded obedience, suddenly reflected acknowledgment that he was dealing with the returned escapee. He was not aware that she would be placed in Class Alpha. He had a series of drills prepared for bringing escapees up to speed – he had used them with 734, but 734 had been placed with Class Charlie, and all the drill instructors knew that Class Charlie could always use some review. Class Charlie was generally reserved for soldiers falling behind, whether it be due to injuries, long term missions, escape, or poor genes.

"ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT PLACE, SOLDIER?" he asked, to make sure this wasn't a mistake.

A few snickers were heard throughout the ranks, so the DI reminded them, "EYES FRONT!"

"SIR, YES, SIR. I WAS ASSIGNED TO CLASS ALPHA TO COMMENCE TRAINING AT 1300, SIR!"

So this wasn't a mistake. Well, he wasn't going to slow down Class Alpha's training for her. Class Charlie, maybe, but not Class Alpha. Surely whoever laid down the orders was aware of that and did this intentionally. He would have to discuss it with the other drill instructors later.

"YOU HAVE A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO, SOLDIER. CLASS ALPHA WILL NOT WAIT FOR YOU. ON THE MAT, NOW." Let's see how good 452 is, the DI thought. He was not the only one thinking this, however, as the other X5s perked up in interest.

Max sighed inwardly – it was just as she expected. "YES, SIR!" She stepped out from the line and headed towards the mat.

"319, free spar 452. The rest of you, start with practicing sequence K-1."

As everyone got in their places, 319 and Max started circling each other, waiting for the first attack. The DI stood close by, watching the pair. Of course, he wasn't the only one watching. Every single X5 secretly kept their eyes locked on the sparring pair as they practiced the assigned sequence.

When Max didn't attack for a while, 319 initiated the attack, which Max easily dodged, tripping 319 in the process. Max followed with a kick to 319's shoulder, knocking her onto the ground. 319 kicked up and blocked an incoming punch, throwing Max into a graceful roll. 319 then rushed a series of kicks, some of which Max blocked, some of which made it through. Max ducked as 319 aimed a series of punches. In a split second pause, Max blocked 319's incoming punch and threw her into a roll, just as 319 had done earlier. Before 319 had time to recover, Max blurred and kicked her in the stomach, sending her down once again.

"That will be enough," the DI instructed. "561, switch places with 319."

561 stepped away from his sparring partner and walked up to the mat as 319 went to practice with 561's partner. 561 did not wait much before initiating his first attack. He intended on ending this fast. 319 was a good fighter, be he'll be damned if he let a traitor beat him.

Max saw the determination in his eyes, as well as the tension in the atmosphere. The DI had ended her spar with 319 when 319 went down – it would appear she "lost". 561 was not going to lose. As Max focused on blocking the punches, she missed the kick that seemed to come out of no where, sending her to the ground. "What's the matter 452? Still recuperating?" he taunted.

"Bite me!" Max growled as she rolled to dodge another kick coming down at her before sweep kicking 561, landing him flat on his back.

The two simultaneously kicked up and blurred to attack. 561 caught Max as she was about to punch and flipped her onto her back. "Must've given you a lousy heart."

Max quickly got back up and charged at him in a mixture of rage and anger. No one is allowed to insult her brother like that. At the last minute, she side stepped, allowing 561 to charge right through where she had been standing. She gave him an extra kick in the butt to help him fall face first into the mat. These soldiers were so used to engaging the enemy head-on, she thought. 561 wasted no time in getting back up and blurred yet again to attack. Max smiled as she blurred as well. She couldn't use the same trick twice, so took a leap into the air, flying right over 561 as he aimed an attack of where her face would have been had she not jumped. Just as she landed, she kicked him behind the knee and and elbowed him in the head. Eleven more years of training and this was what they had to show? Surely these were not their best fighters. The fight continued for a few more minutes as the pair exchanged a flurry of kicks and punches, accompanied by throws. Both of them found themselves on the mat at one point or another. The DI finally stopped the spar when 561 landed Max on the mat. Although she was last to fall, onlookers knew that she was far from defeat. But Max was getting tired now. She wasn't sure if she could handle another spar, but luck was against her when the DI called out yet another opponent.

"494, on the mat."

The X5s all stopped momentarily as Unit 6's CO headed to the mat. Unknown to Max, 494 was one of their best fighters.

"Back to work!" The DI yelled when he saw everyone had stopped practicing to watch the match. Perhaps 452 would not slow down Class Alpha too much, the DI thought.

494 smirked as he fell into a fighting stance. "You should know, 452, I'm one of the best here, and I don't intend on holding back."

"Oh shut up," Max snorted as she blurred and initiated the attack, wiping 494's smirk off his face as he dodged the incoming punch. 494 just barely missed another punch. He caught the following one, using it to flip Max on her back. Max kicked him as he advanced, which sent him flying back a few feet and provided her the space and time she needed to initiate her own attack. She blurred and slammed right into him, knocking him off balance. She followed up with a kick to his side and a punch to his face. 494 faltered back a bit but quickly recovered, catching Max's next kick and using it throw Max into the air. Max landed loudly with a thud on the mat with the wind knocked out of her. That was when the DI stopped them.

"Line up!" It was the end of class.

494 grinned as he offered Max a helping hand. Max scowled and got up on her own, lining up with the rest of the X5s. She knew she would feel the battle scars later. She was already exhausted from three continuous spars. Hopefully this would be the only time.

When the DI was satisfied, he dismissed them and headed off to see the director. A soldier just informed him that she requested his presence. On the way, he reviewed 452's performance. For her lack of training, she didn't do too bad, he thought.

Max followed the other X5s to their next course: weapons training. She was not looking forward to this. She had always been against guns for some reason. She didn't know exactly why, but she knew it had to do with the escape. Holding any armed weapon made her uneasy, and she knew the trainers would frown upon that.

Max refused to acknowledge the occasional glances in her direction by the other X5s. She knew she had become the center of attention after her performance in their hand-to-hand combat course. She wasn't supposed to do well, and she didn't, but she could tell from their glances that she didn't do poorly either. It wasn't intentional, but hell would have to freeze over if she was just going to let someone use her as a punching bag.

"Hey, 452," a voice called out behind her.

Max instantly recognized the voice and chose to ignore it.

"OK...is there a reason why you're ignoring me now?" 494 asked, with a hint of a pout in his voice.

Max turned around to face him. "Just leave me alone," she said bitterly. She then turned back and continued walking, leaving 494 slightly confused. She certainly has an attitude, 494 muttered under his breath.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

As the DI arrived at the Director's office, he wondered if this meeting was about 452. Sure enough, after the formalities were exchanged, that was exactly what the Director wanted to know about.

"I called you here to give me an evaluation of 452's performance."

"Ma'am, I was unaware that 452 would be joining Class Alpha. So I wasn't able to prepare a complete skill assessment test for her."

"I'm sure you came up with something."

"Yes, ma'am. 452 sparred against 319, 561, and 494. 319 was previously one of the best in Class Bravo, until she moved to Class Alpha. 494 is one of the best in Class Alpha. 561...I would place him somewhere between the two. Considering she lacks training, she did quite well against 319 and 561. Her performance with 494 may have been due to fatigue, but even then, she put up quite a fight. She is a quick thinker. She caught on to some of the techniques they were using and threw it right back at them. Her time outside must have also given her the ability to think outside the box and try new things, something many of these soldiers lack."

Renfro nodded, clearly pleased with the report. She had not anticipated that 452 would do so well.

"Ma'am, if I may ask, is there a reason you have assigned 452 to Class Alpha? The other X5s are a bit restless and were clearly distracted by her presence. She doesn't belong with them."

Renfro smiled. "It's your job to keep them in line, but don't worry, this situation is temporary. She'll be removed from Class Alpha before the month is up."

The DI nodded, pleased to know he wouldn't have to deal with some restless X5s for too long, especially in Class Alpha. He could see that the Director was not planning to divulge anymore information at this time, so he prepared to dismiss himself.

"Should I keep you posted on 452?"

Renfro nodded. "Yes, just every four days or so. A short report would suffice."

"Very well then."

Shortly after, he left. The Director had plans for 452 – that much was clear. It wasn't his business to care what they were, but there was something in the tone of her voice that made him uneasy.


	3. Holding On

**A/N: **I'll try to keep updates once a week (at the latest), at least until I run out of chapters to upload, which won't be for a while (finishing chapter 23 right now). I may try to combine some chapters so that when I update, the chapters are longer, but it'll depend if I can merge them efficiently. Anyway, I'm glad my second chapter got far more readers than my first chapter, and I'm glad you all like it! I hope you enjoy this chapter - it may seem to start off a bit slow, but I get the feeling you just might hate me at the end. Maybe if there's enough reviews, I'll upload the next one sooner...Review and I'll reply! Authors love reviews (even if it's as simple as "update!")...

Just some teasers for down the road: how Logan is doing is revealed; Max will see her siblings; another well known Manticore person will be returning

**Chapter 3: Holding On**

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

Max crouched quietly in a tree as she waited for someone to approach. During their weapons training course, the two units were pitted against each other in a Manticore-style game of Capture the Flag. Max was assigned to Unit 4, which she was thankful for – she didn't want to be under the leadership of her brother's clone.

The weapons they used were very similar to the real models. The only difference was that they shot out rubber pellets, which upon impact would beam back to base the location of the target and record who was taken out of the game. A target was considered disabled only if shot three times. As she held the gun close to her, memories of her childhood training came back to her. She remembered the time when they found a balloon in the trees. Her unit had been so curious as to what the item was, but it had later gotten them in trouble. She remembered seeing a crow in the trees, which led to the death of a member in her unit. She shook the unhappy memories away and tried once again to concentrate on her job.

784, Unit 4's CO, had posted her as part of the defense team. They had been placed around the perimeter of their base to sniper in the treetops. Max listened intently for any slight changes in the surrounding areas. Her sensitive hearing could make out a set of footsteps northeast of her location, so she scanned the area and found two Unit 6 members making their way to the base. Max steadied the gun and aimed six quick shots, taking them both out with minimum ammo. Although she still wasn't fond of guns, this exercise was less real than some that they have had in the past, so she was able to justify the use of it more easily.

She checked the other two posts to see if they had any action. She was surprised to see that they had left their posts and no where to be seen. Maybe they were eliminated. Something wasn't right. She quietly crept down the tree when a slight movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. 494 was in the treetops and had taken out their defenses...except for her. She blurred just in time to avoid the line of bullets he had sent her way and disappeared from view. 494 cursed and left his treetop post, heading towards Unit 4's base. He could only hope someone would take care of 452 for him, since it wasn't considered a complete victory until there were no remaining members left on the opposing team. If she kept going in that direction, however, she would run right into 835.

Max took a round-about way to avoid detection as she headed back to base. She had always been good at escape and evade. She wasn't planning on that changing anytime soon. From a distance, she could see that most of their ground defenses had been eliminated. 561 was still hiding at the top, waiting for any Unit 6 survivors arrive. He was assigned to guard the flag. Max's eyes caught another slight movement and once again found 494 creeping up slowly behind 561. From another direction, she saw 835 also approaching their base. As of now, it seemed there were only two remaining on both sides. Max aimed her weapon at 494, taking him out seconds before he reached 561, but doing so gave her position away to 835, who wasted no time to take her out. Fortunately, 561 acted quickly enough and took out 835.

A few more minutes passed and no one else came except for another member from Unit 4, who returned with Unit 6's flag. A loud alarm signaled the end of the exercise. It was a rare win, so Unit 4 was rather cheerful. They were used to being defeated by Unit 6; Unit 6 bested them in nearly everything. None of them realized Max had been the one to stop 494 from achieving victory, and Max did not bother to tell them.

As soon as they were dismissed, they went their separate ways. Their afternoon classes were over. Dinner would be in an hour, so Max decided to use the time to catch a shower, after the crowds moved out, of course. Until then, she would relax in her cell.

While Unit 4 was engaged in their own conversations on how they each played a vital role in defeating Unit 6, everyone in Unit 6 was silent. Not once did they look at Max, knowing from 835 that she was the one who caused their defeat. Max hung around in the back, not wanting to be involved in any of it. No one bothered her; Unit 4 was now trying to figure out how to repeat their success, while Unit 6 was sulking in their defeat. Occasionally, several members in Unit 6 would look in her direction with a mixture of anger, curiosity, and admiration.

Max ignored their looks and was able to break away from the group when she arrived at her cell block. She had never thought she would be glad to be back in this dull room, but she was exhausted from today's training and tired of being on the receiving end of an uninformed trainer's suspicion.

Reflecting on the day, she had time to put some pieces together. The trainers were not informed that she would be joining this X5 class. In fact, when they found out who she was, they thought she was not ready to join this top-class of Manticore soldiers and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Max had to admit, she didn't believe it either. She knew Renfro placed her here to help her "catch up", but exactly how much good can it do when a soldier is so far behind?

As the top X5 class, the trainers made it clear that they would not delay their training just to bring her up to speed. The trainers would work them hard to make sure they remained the best. She was not worth their time, apparently. If she couldn't perform, she would suffer the consequences. She could expect no less. Reflecting on her progress, she didn't do as bad as she thought she would. She was definitely rusty, and there was plenty of room for improvement, but overall, she wasn't feeling so discouraged now. When it came down to survival, she would do whatever it would take to survive – it was in her genes and training as a Manticore soldier, and to her, Manticore was all about survival. She had to survive if she would one day return to the world beyond Manticore walls and live in freedom as she once did.

Her mind drifted back to her faint memories, trying to recall the few she had and make them clearer, but everything was still a blur. "My name's Max," she whispered to herself as a friendly reminder. Going through a whole day being known as 452 made it harder to remember that Max still exists.

As dinner time neared, she headed towards the showers and cleaned off the dirt and sweat that had accumulated. It was a great shower, considering Manticore actually provided warm water. She then headed to the mess hall and quickly finished her dinner, once again ignoring the looks from the other transgenics. She saw Brin in a table near the back of the room, but she was seated with her unit, and Max knew Brin belonged to Manticore. She could not tangle with her right now.

Class Alpha's evening classes were in the lecture halls. Tonight would cover Russian, Assassination Procedures (officially titled Mission Success, but in Max's mind, it was all about how to carry out and cover up the perfect assassination, so why not rename it something more...direct?), and Basic Field Aid (practicing first aid on "wounded" patients). The classes were long and boring, not to mention there was so much she didn't know, and also didn't want to know. The instructors were not pleased with her poor answers she had struggled to put together, hoping it was something that made sense. It seemed by now, however, that they had been informed she would be joining Class Alpha; they never asked if she was in the wrong place.

By the time class ended, the instructors had all assigned Max a large load of reading assignments (by transgenic standards), thinking it would bring her up to speed. For once, Max was fortunate she didn't have to sleep much, but staying up to read missed lessons was not exactly her ideal way of spending the night. She was hoping to start building her escape tunnel, but she would have to wait. She had no time tonight if she wanted to avoid punishment tomorrow.

As she was about to begin reading her first assignment, she then wondered why she was taking her training so seriously. Did it really come down to survival? She could deal with a little punishment. It would be nothing compared to the seven months she spent in psy-ops. Clearly her situation was not expected by any of the TAC Leaders, trainers, or instructors. The X5s didn't exactly welcome her either, and considering _they_ even questioned her presence, it can be assumed that it hasn't happened before. Then again, there were also the scattered conversations pondering why she wasn't with Class Charlie, which she heard them describing as the lower performing groups where soldiers behind in classes were placed to catch up.

She knew Renfro had something planned for her. The light threat at the end of their meeting verified it. Her imagination could only ponder what. None of it made sense. Perhaps the Director was planning on sending her out on a mission, she mused. Fat chance in that – she was still considered a flight risk, and would be for a long time to come. But if she were to go on a mission, then there was hope of leaving once again. Max pushed the thought away – Manticore wasn't that stupid. Whatever Renfro had in mind, she would not let her win. If becoming one of their top soldiers is part of her plan, then she should quit training altogether, but that would be going against her survival principles. And there was nothing wrong with being one of their top soldiers – it would give her an advantage when she would need it, and she certainly needed all the advantages she could get if she was going to escape. It might even help her overcome whatever Renfro has planned for her.

She sighed as she finally focused on her reading assignments. These weeks were going to be long while she accustomed herself to their intense training regime.

For the next two weeks, Max worked day and night to catch up to what Class Alpha was doing. The reading assignments continued, with the instructors piling on even more when they realized she was going through them over night with ease. The rest of the X5s left her alone, learning from their several attempts to befriend her that she did not want to be spoken to, well nearly all of them, minus 494, who remained a thorn in her side. Although Max knew isolating herself from the others would only make her life here more miserable, she was not going to allow herself to get attached. She was not planning on staying, and she didn't want to miss anything or anyone. She had already started her tunnel to freedom the second day of training before the instructors realized she could finish the readings with time to spare. She shouldn't have mentioned her shark DNA.

Since the increase in assignments, however, her tunnel remained untouched. She had managed to saw out half of a brick, and was hoping to eventually be able to completely remove it, but she had not had the time to complete it. She wondered how long this training would last before Renfro revealed her sure-to-fail plan.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

In her office, Renfro read over the reports given to her by the instructors and trainers. Over the weeks, the reports had grown increasingly longer as they had more and more to say about this X5. Renfro smiled slightly when more than one instructor noted that 452 was isolating herself from the other X5s and refusing to socialize with them more than necessary. Renfro knew exactly why, which only made her idea seem even more appealing. The reports continued about how 452 was catching up quicker than expected, finishing the extra assignments overnight.

Overall, the Director was impressed, but she also wondered why 452 was willingly cooperating with this intense demand. In a sense, 452's success was starting to make her uneasy. 452 certainly had potential to do many things, and she knew 452 was looking for a way out.

A knock on the door signaled the arrival of a soldier who had brought along the requested X5s.

She told them to enter and stood up from her desk to pace before the X5s standing at attention. It gave her a sense of power when she did this and helped her to ignore the slight anxiety that one day, something may go wrong if an X5 refuses an order.

"At ease," she told the soldiers.

The men all relaxed to the at-ease position.

"As you all know, we had intruders seven months ago who destroyed our DNA lab, the lab which once enabled us the ability to reproduce soldiers. Resultantly, we have had to seek alternate methods to produce a new generation. Your next assignment is simple. You will copulate with your assigned partners after lights out until pregnancy is reached."

She examined their faces, watching for any sign of emotion, but their was none. Their soldier mask was intact.

"561, you have been assigned 319. 698, you have been assigned 285. 974, you have been assigned 392," Renfro began, continuing down the list as she gave each of the transgenics their assignments. She finally ended with, "494, you have been assigned 452."

And that did it. The soldiers all glanced at 494 when they thought she wasn't looking. 494 seemed rather surprised as well.

"After lights out, a guard will escort you from your cell to that of your partners. I will expect a report the following morning. Your partners will be informed shortly after this meeting of the assignment. You all are dismissed, except for 494."

The soldiers all saluted and left, no doubt curious about why 494 had been asked to remain. They all knew it had to do with his assignment to 452.

Renfro had other plans though; she did not intend for 452 to become pregnant, especially if she was going to be in a position of command. With the exception of one or two males, all the soldiers in this breeding program were not scheduled to be deployed on any missions anytime soon. The females were not in a particularly important position where their presence would be missed should they become pregnant either.

"494, I have a separate assignment for you."

494 waited for her to continue.

"Anything I tell you now is not to leave this room, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Your assignment to 452 is merely a cover. I have other plans for 452 – plans that cannot be accomplished if she is pregnant. In other words, you are not to copulate with 452 under any circumstances, but you should not have any trouble with that. When you report in public, copulation will be successful. 452 still believes she will one day escape again and go back to the life she once had with her friends...and boyfriend. Don't take it personal if she doesn't want to do anything with you," she added with a small smile.

494's face revealed nothing, so she continued, "I know she loves someone out there because she's clinging on to the hope she will see whoever it is again. Your primary objective is to find out if she has made any plans for an escape. Your secondary objective will be to find out who she loves on the outside."

Renfro paused for a bit before continuing. "452 has been isolating herself; she is not talking to anyone more than necessary. I know she's isolating herself because she does not want to form any attachments."

494 understood; she was planning to escape, and she did not want anyone to hold her back. The less people she cared about, the easier it would be to leave them behind. No wonder she was always so bitter.

"Is your mission clear?" Renfro asked.

"Yes ma'am. I am to use the cover of the breeding program to find out if 452 loves anyone and if she is planning to escape. I am not to copulate with 452." 494 recited.

"Good. Report back every two days at 2100, or if something urgent comes up. Dismissed."

494 saluted and left. He smiled to himself as he would finally have an excuse to talk to 452, and really talk to 452, not just briefly annoy her as she walked through the halls attempting to ignore everyone.

**Cell 306**

Later that night, 452 was busy reading her day's assignment. She had been briefed on the breeding program earlier in the day and had already decided she would not participate. She had no intention of helping them make more super soldier babies. Of all people, she had to be assigned 494 – that jerk who would not leave her alone for the past two weeks. The door opened to allow 494 to enter, but she completely ignored him, pretending to be engrossed in her reading.

She was forced to look up when 494 threw his t-shirt at her. "Come on, take off your clothes already. I don't have all night. We have our orders, and I'd like to get back in time for some decent sleep," 494 began. He couldn't hide the smile on his face as he watched 452 look up from her reading and glare at him.


	4. 494

**Chapter 4: 494**

Max was forced to look up when 494 threw his t-shirt at her. "Come on, take off your clothes already. I don't have all night. We have our orders, and I'd like to get back in time for some decent sleep," 494 began. He couldn't hide the smirk on his face as he watched 452 look up from her reading and glare at him.

She balled up his t-shirt and threw it back at him. "Keep your clothes on. I'm not interested. Get out of my cell."

Although 494 had orders to not copulate, this was too amusing for him, so he couldn't just let it drop so easily. He took a seat beside her and ran his hand along her thigh. "We have our orders 452," he persisted.

Max put her books aside before grabbing his arm and flipping him on his back. "You try that again and I'll make sure your fingers break."

"Ow," was all 494 managed as he rested on the hard concrete floor. He sat up and rubbed his head. "You know, this isn't a plum assignment for me either. You spent half of your life out their in filth and degradation. I could catch something."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself. Just as long as we understand each other."

"Fine. Don't "freak out" on me."

494 smirked as he saw 452's look of surprise. "I took Common Verbal Usage when I got cleared for my solo missions."

"Oh, you mean assassinations," Max replied with a look of disgust.

"It was my job. If you're going to "bust my chops" about it, go ahead," 494 stood up and squeezed himself onto the small cot, taking the space Max's books had previously occupied. "Well, I'm not supposed to head back until 0100, so why don't you wake me up then?"

Max glared at him and shoved him off the cot. "Get off."

494 stumbled forward and came crashing down on the floor, hard.

"I need my reading room," she said, smiling sweetly as she extended her legs to take up the place he had previously been siting.

494 shrugged and made himself comfortable on the floor. At least now he could lie down. She was certainly different outside of training. She was quiet during training and always gave everyone the cold shoulder, refusing to talk to them, but here, with just the two of them, she can be quite...bitchy.

"So, 452, whatcha reading?"

Max ignored him and continued reading.

He sat up and looked at the book in her hands. "Chinese."

"I thought you were going to sleep," she reminded, slightly irritated.

494 shrugged. "I'm not as comfortable as I'd like. I was expecting some more warmth." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Can't you leave already?"

"Just when I was beginning to think you were enjoying my company."

"You're so full of yourself, you know that?"

494 grinned. "I didn't take you for being the studious type."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Max asked, glaring.

"Well, you almost kicked my butt today in combat. Generally you're good at one or the other, even at Manticore."

"The good old brains verses brawns debate. Guess you're all brawns then."

494 frowned. "Hey! I've got brains too."

"You said it yourself- one or the other, and considering you believe yourself to be the top fighter, that means you can't be the top thinker."

494 shrugged. "You know, you're more talkative when you're not training."

494 mentally slapped himself at reminding her that she was opening herself up. He saw instantly that 452's defenses were once again intact. The room grew silent as Max turned back to her reading. 494 sighed to himself – he didn't do bad for the first night.

"Well, see you around 452," he said with a wink. "I'll be back until mission is accomplished."

Max silently reprimanded herself that night as soon as 494 left. The guy was a jerk – he always had a way of making her irritated or angry. But he was right – she had talked a lot more than she usually did in the presence of other X5s. She couldn't afford that.

After the meeting, she couldn't concentrate on the reading assignment, so she resorted to finishing her tunnel. By now, she was able to completely remove one brick. She started on the second one and did that instead of reading that night. She knew the instructors would not be pleased when she didn't complete the assignments, but she would deal with that tomorrow. If she could remove this second brick, she would be able to squeeze through.

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

The following morning, as the X5s stood at ease to report, Max pondered what excuse she would give to the Director for an unsuccessful mission. She assumed 494 would pin the blame on her, and she was perfectly fine with accepting the punishment. Max waited anxiously as Renfro continued down the line, asking for a report.

"Successful copulation with X5-392, ma'am," 974 reported.

"Excellent," Renfro complimented as she moved to the next pair. "Report."

"Copulation was unsuccessful, ma'am," 285 reported.

"Explain," Renfro demanded.

"X5-698 failed to achieve minimum mission requirements, ma'am," 285 explained.

Two guards took 698 away. This is it, Max thought. 494 would report her. She was surprised, however, when 494 answered with something worse than she would have imagined.

"Report?" the Director asked, as she approached 494 and 452.

"Successful copulation between myself and X5-452, ma'am," 494 answered. "Twice."

The Director glanced over at 452, searching for any indication of how she felt about 494's words, but 452's face was emotionless.

She continued down the row, asking for the rest of the reports.

494 dared himself to sneak a glance at 452, who was clearly not happy with his report. For some reason, she would rather Renfro punish her for not following orders than to think she actually _copulated_ with _494_.

As soon as they were dismissed, Max couldn't stop herself from confronting 494.

"What the hell was that?!"

"What was what?" he asked innocently.

"Twice?!"

"Why not? If I'm going to lie, I like my lies to sound good."

"I can't believe this."

"You should be thanking me. If you want me to tell them the truth and have them take you to isolation, I'll do that instead."

"Can't you just keep them short and simple?" Max pleaded. A voice then reminded her, _Why do I care what these people think? I should just go along with it. I shouldn't let him get to me. It's making me weak, and weaknesses are something I can't afford!_

"Be nicer to me and I'll consider it," 494 grinned.

Max scowled and walked away, refusing to even consider his offer. 494 smiled to himself. He was starting to feel some progress.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

Later that night, 494 stood before Renfro, ready to give his report.

"452 has shown no indication of planning an escape, nor has she shown any indication that she loves anyone outside; however, she did refuse to copulate with me and made it clear she was not interested. So there is a reason to believe that she was with someone. She's more open outside of training, so I think it won't take too long for me to engage her in a conversation and befriend her, but she keeps her guard up."

Renfro nodded. "Very well then. Keep at it. Dismissed."

494 saluted and was about to walk out when Renfro added something, "Oh and 494, keep your reports simple. Don't flatter yourself. The others will become suspicious and ask questions."

494 looked back not quite comprehending.

So she clarified, "Twice?"

494 couldn't help the small grin that appeared. He nodded and replied, "Yes, ma'am. Short and simple next time, ma'am."

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

As usual, Max was eating by herself during lunch. Occasionally 494 would stop by and pester her, but she generally ignored him. Fortunately, today was not one of those days. She did have another unexpected visitor, however, as she took a seat in her normal place away from the rest of the soldiers.

"Welcome back little sister," 734 greeted as she took a seat across from Max.

Max looked up, masking her surprise from her sister's visit. She reminded herself that this was 734, not Brin. She was Manticore now and would not hesitate to report her being un-Manticore-like. "What brings you here?" Max asked casually.

"I saw you were sitting by yourself. I hope people are giving you a warm welcome."

"I'm fine," Max reassured. "I'm sure you were given a warm welcome too," Max replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"It wasn't too bad, but then again, they placed me in Class Charlie. No questions were asked. I adjusted to the program and eventually was accepted by everyone else. They even allowed me to lead missions to bring you back home," her sister informed. "But I've been hearing a lot of things, 452 (Max winced slightly when her sister used her designation). A lot of the other soldiers think Command screwed up by placing you in Class Alpha. Tell me they're wrong."

Max forced a smile. "Well, I'm not doing too bad there, but I don't even know why I'm there. There's a lot I don't know, and the trainers just expect me to know it all."

734 smiled reassuringly. "You'll pick it up soon enough. You were always a fast learner." Max sensed a bit of jealousy.

"I don't really have a choice," she said with a sigh. "If I don't get things right, the trainers aren't happy. You how it goes."

734 nodded. "You'll be fine. I'm glad your back, little sister. Isn't it good to be home?"

Max nodded slightly, not willing to give her true feelings away.

"I forgive you, by the way."

Max eyed 734 curiously. "For what?"

734 shrugged. "For preventing me from disarming the bombs and landing me a short stint in psy ops – they thought I might have tried to help you; for blowing up the DNA lab to make way for the breeding program – I had a lame partner, by the way; for losing our CO...I could keep going, but I'm sure you know the rest."

Max was silent – she was not sorry for anything she had done, and she was not going to bother defending herself to her brainwashed sister. "I hope you're not expecting an apology, because I'm not planning on apologizing."

Her sister returned a look of suspicion. "If that's how you feel...Max."

Max tried her best to keep her temper in check. "It's 452 to you, 734," Max replied coldly. "The Brin I knew doesn't exist anymore."

734 got up to leave. "I hope you're not planning on leaving us anytime soon, sis. Command's going to be keeping an eye on you."

"I'm sure," Max replied dismissively. "I'm glad you enjoy my company at 'home'."

Now it was 734 who forced a smile before leaving. "See you around, sis."

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

The following morning, 494 was helping Max learn a few new techniques while the trainers had the rest of the class reviewing some forms. Of all the people, it had to be 494 who supposedly mastered all the techniques.

"You punch like that, 452, and the most you'll do is push the person back. You need to hit from this angle so that it takes their balance as well," 494 insisted as he showed her the technique.

Max adjusted her punch and practiced on 494, smirking slightly when he fell flat onto the ground.

He quickly kicked up and grinned. "Looks like you got it."

494 proceeded to show her another throw, landing her on her back.

Max rubbed her head and slowly got back up. She must have been working out more than normal, because she was building quite a sweat.

As she attempted the same technique on 494, she found herself looking over 494's body more carefully. "You're hot," she whispered as she threw him onto the mat. Her face paled as she realized she was going into heat, and 494 seemed to know it too, from the way he was eying her.

"Did I just say what I thought I said?" she asked to no one in particular.

494 got up after she threw him, smirking slightly. "Why thank you, but you're in heat," he whispered, careful to control his urges to simply jump her.

Max nodded slightly, trying to look away from him to contain her own urges as well, but then she became aware of just how many other males were in the area. _Shit!_

"Check yourself into solitary while you still can," 494 ordered. "You'd better hurry. The other males will soon be able to smell your pheromones...and when it becomes too strong, you'll be lucky if nothing happens. I'll inform the trainer. Go, now!"

Max nodded numbly and left, doing her best to concentrate on not looking at any guys. The realization that her _breeding partner_ just rejected the possibility of jumping her did not even enter her mind. Fortunately, she found her way to solitary before any males found their way to her and before she lost control of her own body.

**Running Track, Manticore**

As soon as her heat cycle was over, Max was released from solitary. She decided to head out to the track and rid some of her excess energy instead of heading for dinner. She didn't want to look at anyone right now. She cursed to herself as she recalled her thoughts when she was in heat – they had all been about her and 494 doing...well, what they should be doing during their breeding hour together. Well, she'll be damned if he ever found _that_ out. Sure, the guy was good looking, but he was an asshole. Hell would have to freeze over before she did anything with _that_ jerk.

As she finished her fifth lap, another soldier ran up beside her. It was just her luck that 494 had also decided to take a jog.

"Feeling better?" 494 asked with a grin.

"Leave me alone," Max retorted, not really wanting to deal with him right now.

"Oh come on 452. You can't possibly be _mad_ about what happened between us."

"Shut up," Max said simply.

"Ok, so you _are_ mad. Is it because I _am_ hot?" he asked with an air of confidence.

Max stopped for a second to trip him, causing him to tumble forward and fall into a roll. 494 just got up and ran a bit faster to catch up to her pace.

"I'll take that as a yes," he smirked. "I heard you were released, and I didn't see you in the mess hall."

"So you're stalking me now?" Max observed, sounding rather annoyed.

"Not _stalking_. Just getting some exercise in as well," he replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

Max rolled her eyes, clearly not believing him. "Is it your _job_ to annoy the hell out of me 494? Because you're doing a damn good job."

"You're telling me you _really_ don't like my company?" he questioned, feigning hurt.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you." Just then, a thought occurred to Max. "Considering you're my breeding partner, why is it that you didn't take advantage of my heat cycle?" Max inquired. "I mean, surely the Director would have found out about it and sent you to help make some babies."

494 laughed a bit as he replied, "Well, she'll be a bit disappointed then when you don't get any babies. Needless to say, she thinks I performed my duties while you were in heat, so she'll be looking forward to positive results."

Max eyed him suspiciously now. "Why are you covering for me? I thought you _wanted_ to copulate."

494 paused, trying to think of a good excuse. He _had_ given her that impression, which he now realized might not have been the best idea. It's not that he didn't – she was hot, even for an escapee, but he had his orders. "Well, I don't know about you, but I like keeping my body in good condition. X5 females in heat are rather...wild," he finished lamely, hoping she'd buy his excuse.

Max scoffed, "Think you can't handle it, pretty boy?" Max cursed to herself. Did she _really_ just call him that?

494 smirked. "Pretty boy? So I guess that means I _am_ hot. Are you implying you actually _want_ to give it a try?" he questioned, sounding enthusiastic, but really hoping she'd say no.

Max chuckled, "In your dreams."

494 sighed in relief, but feigned a pout. "Just when I thought you'd say yes. You're a real bitch..." he murmured, knowing it would piss her off.

Max attempted to trip him again, but he was ahead of her this time and tripped her instead. Max fell into a roll and glared at him. "Do you make it your job to piss me off or something," Max asked angrily.

494 grinned, putting on his best innocent look. "I wasn't the one trying to trip a fellow runner," he argued.

"ARGH!" Max cried, throwing up her hands in disbelief. "Why did I _have_ to be stuck with _you!_"

"Oh come on 452. I'm not _that_ bad. Some of the other guys are worse. At least you're with the _CO_ of Unit 6. Not many girls can say that," he pointed out.

"A guy with an enormous ego? Can anyone be worse?" she declared.

494 held his hands up in surrender, but he was still smiling. "I can see when I'm not welcomed," he stated as he jogged off the track, leaving Max to finish up her own exercise in silence.

**Cell 306**

The following week, 494 entered 452's cell, waiting around for 452 to appear for their "date", but she was no where to be seen. He passed time by napping on her cot. Over the week, his mission had progressed some. 452 was still completely annoyed with him, but she had also started telling him indirectly a lot about her. There was still no mention of a boyfriend, or of an escape, but at least he felt he was getting closer to the truth.

The other X5s continued to ignore her, since she completely ignored them. All of them were curious though, and some even asked 494 what little he knew about her. Not surprisingly, the guys wanted to know if the sex was good. 494 kept things vague. He didn't want to give her a good reputation, but he also didn't want to give her a bad reputation. It would possibly make his assignment from Renfro more difficult.

A slight disturbance disrupted 494 from his thoughts as a small figure crawled out from underneath the cot. There went his primary objective. She was indeed planning an escape.

"Forget we had a date?" 494 asked casually.

"So when do the stormtroopers burst in?" she asked in return.

494 laughed lightly. "Don't worry. I didn't set off the alarm. Not yet."

"What do you want?"

"I'm not looking for trouble. What you do is your own business."

494 helped Max cover up the hole again.

"Why do you want out of here so much?" he asked, hoping perhaps he'd find out if there was a love interest beyond Manticore walls. "You've got a roof over your head, plenty to eat...which is more than you can say about most people out there."

"You think Manticore takes care of you out of the goodness of its heart? It's using you."

"No one's using me," 494 defended.

"That's what you don't get. You work for the bad guys."

494 shrugged and headed towards the door. He had enough for one night.

"I'm going to be out of here in five minutes and you'll get rid of me for the night. OK 452?"

What she said afterwards surprised him even more, but his face didn't show it.

"My name's Max."

"Whatever you say," 494 replied dismissively. Psy-ops apparently didn't do too good of a job, he thought to himself.

"You should have a name too."

"I told you, my designation's 494."

"Doesn't suit you. I'm going to call you Alec."

"Alec?"

"As in smart aleck."

494 thought about it before replying, "I can live with that."

"Good, 'cause my next choice was Dick."

Alec grinned as he knocked on the door and called for the guard. "See you around...Max."

He went back to his cell for the night, but he would head directly to the Director's office as soon as the sun rose. He thought about the name Max had given him...he really did like it. He reminded himself to omit that from his report tomorrow.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

The following morning, he waiting patiently for the Director to admit him into his office. When she finally did, he stood at attention and gave his report.

"I assume you've found something important?"

"Yes ma'am. It is confirmed that 452 is planning to escape."

* * *

**A/N**: Well, here's the update. It's a bit longer that normal - I expanded on it a bit after I wrote the original chapter. I'll try to do that from now on if possible so that the chapters will be a bit longer with each update. I understand some people may be on vacation this past week, so I hope you have been enjoying your Independence Day celebration (USA). Not to complain _too_ much, but it is rather depressing to see so many people place this story on their alert list but less than half that number give a review...

The Alec/Max interactions were fun to write this chapter, so I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. _Please_ review!!! I'll be sure to respond!

For my anonymous reviewers...

Thanks for reviewing Cindy, Kayla, and Astra.

**Astra**: As for Max willingly copulating with Alec - I've entertained that idea myself! I mean, it would be quite amusing to see Alec squirming his way out of that after wanting to do it. Later edit: I actually revised this chapter to include the heat segment based on that concept you proposed, so thanks for bringing it to my attention! Of course, it's not as close as I'd like to explore, but it was the closest I could manage without distorting too much of the storyline.


	5. Unveiling

**Chapter 5: Unveiling**

"I assume you've found something important?" the Director stated.

"Yes ma'am. It is confirmed that 452 is planning to escape, ma'am," Alec reported.

"Explain."

"Ma'am, she has managed to find a way out of her cell by cutting through two bricks under her cot. I believe she has found an entrance to the basement of Manticore."

Renfro nodded. "How long do you think it will be before she attempts to leave?"

"Unsure, ma'am. However, I was under the impression that she was still in the planning stages. I caught her sneaking back into the cell a few minutes before our one-hour time slot together. I arrived a few minutes early. I informed her that I did not set off the alarm yet, and it would be beneficial for the completion of my mission if it remained that way," he suggested.

"Agreed. She needs to trust you. Besides, my plans with 452 do not revolve around keeping her in. I want her to want to be here, otherwise she will not stop attempting escape."

494 did not saying anything, but he had no understanding of what she meant. If psy-ops couldn't make someone want to be here, what would? The Director was far from achieving that goal anyway while Max maintained her old identity.

"Ma'am, there's something else," Alec began, unsure if he really wanted to tell her. He didn't know why, but subconsciously, he knew it was because it felt like a betrayal. Yet, the soldier in him took over and wrestled the feeling away. "452 introduced herself to me as Max last night."

Renfro nodded again and sighed. "Very well. I won't do anything to interfere right now. We still need that information on her boyfriend, but I want you with her every night for the next week. Do not let her escape, even if that means using force."

"Ma'am, she won't allow me in her cell the whole night."

"Because she's not showing any signs of a pregnancy, you are to increase the number of times you copulate," she ordered for his cover story. "I've authorized you to use all night to complete the assignment. I will inform 452 later today."

"Yes ma'am."

"Your reports will still be short and simple," the Director reminded.

"Yes ma'am."

"If anything changes, let me know. Dismissed."

Alec saluted and left.

Whether psy-ops had any effect on 452, Renfro would not know. 452 did well in playing along. She kept her emotions in tact and well guarded, but she still remembered exactly who she was, and that was dangerous.

**Conference Room, Manticore**

Renfro paged a soldier to call together the instructors and trainers. They were entering the last week of the allotted month; she needed 452 ready. She would reveal to them the plan so that they would teach her what she would need to know. Hopefully 452 won't attempt an escape before then, otherwise her plan would not be possible.

Renfro waited until everyone had gathered in the conference room before beginning.

"As you all are now aware, X5-452 was placed in Class Alpha under my orders. Based on the reports you have given me, 452 seems capable of performing the exercises required. I know many of you are wondering why I did this, and today, I have called you here for your opinions.

"As you all know, 452 is still considered a flight risk, and I know she is planning an escape. It will only be a matter of time before she attempts one. In addition to bringing her up to speed, I was hoping her placement in Class Alpha would keep her too busy to plan an escape. I was also hoping it would prepare her for the position of a commanding officer."

A look of surprise, shock, and outrage filled the room.

"Director, 452 is seen by the general population as a traitor. None of them are willingly going to follow her orders," a TAC Leader pointed out.

"She does have a challenge ahead of her."

"Ma'am, this upsets the balance in the system. You're rewarding 452 with a highly respected position for escaping and getting captured, not to mention blowing up the DNA lab," the same leader continued. He was one of the few willing to stand up to the Director.

"452 will not view it as a reward, and if I play things right, her unit will view it as a chance for revenge."

"Ma'am, why not simply assign 452 to another unit? She's been isolating herself from the rest of the community. Everyone is uneasy around her," another trainer suggested.

"Because then there is nothing keeping her from running. I recognize your concerns, but may I remind you that some of you have pointed out that 452 has shown leadership potential? 452 will not want this assignment. She will hate me for it. She is isolating herself because she does not want to form any attachments, but that is the purpose of this assignment – for her to form attachments. She wants to leave Manticore. We need her to stay, but not just stay by force, but by will as well. As CO, she will bear the burden of making sure her unit performs. She will be the one to make the decisions for her members. She will decide whether they succeed or fail. With that burden on her shoulders, she won't be able to simply leave them behind."

"That is assuming she cares for her unit members."

"She will care – after the first exercise she is responsible for ends in disaster, she will care. The guilt of what she did or did not do will be on her shoulders, and she will do better next time. I expect that you all make sure she feels guilty for anything that goes wrong during her first month as CO. Punish those she steered wrong rather than her. Form those attachments."

Finally accepting the situation and seeing the wisdom behind it, another trainer asked, "And the unit?"

"A new unit will be formed to accommodate this situation. I examined the units with over 14 members and moved some of them to the new unit. Most of them are the outcasts of the units anyway. Unit 8 has also been broken down due to the failed mission a few weeks ago. Most of the soldiers are in recovery or have been redeployed on another mission. The few remaining soldiers with no assignments will be moved. 452's unit will be smaller than the standard size, as only a limited number can be moved without affecting the unit's ability to work together as a team, but it will have to do. Most of the units will average around 13 members after the move. Her unit will hold 11, including herself."

"Her unit will be at a disadvantage in exercises against other units," a trainer noted.

Renfro smiled. "Well, I wasn't going to make things easy for her. Besides, if any other soldiers are moved, it would upset the camaraderie in the units. We can't afford that."

The trainers all looked at one another. They knew in the end it wasn't their decision, and that the Director had already planned everything out. They could only follow along and make the best of it. Although it wasn't the worst plan, it wasn't the best either. There were many risks involved – risks many were uneasy in taking with transgenics. But when the Director asked for their opinion, she was waiting to hear that it would work.

"How long do we have?" an instructor finally asked.

"I was going to give her a month to catch up on training. This is the fourth week. She will be moved four days from now. I expect her to be ready by then."

"When will she be informed?"

"The day before. I will be meeting with her and her unit separately to inform them of the change in leadership. Can I expect that she be ready by then?"

"Yes ma'am," they all chorused.

"Good. This meeting is adjourned," she said as she left, leaving her staff lost in their own assessments of the trouble ahead.

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

Max had just finished throwing 561 on the mat during hand-to-hand combat when a soldier summoned her.

"452! Director wants to see you."

Max had certainly improved over the past few weeks and was now defeating 561 with ease. 561 was furious and always fought back in fury, but that usually ended up hindering his performance.

Max stood at attention in front of Renfro, thinking about how to wipe the smug look of the Director's face.

"State your designation," Renfro simply began.

"X5-452!"

"For the past three weeks, you and 494 have reported successful copulation. I was even informed you went into heat and 494 was present to take advantage of the situation. You should have been impregnated by now. So tell me, 452, is there a reason as to why you are not? I may spare you if you have anything important to report."

Of course, Renfro knew the answer, but she had to make 452 believe this was really the reason 494 would remain overnight with her. It would also be interesting to see if 452 would reveal the truth. Of course if she did, then she would have to "punish" 494, but she was willing to bet that their relationship had progressed far enough that 452 would consider him an acquaintance.

"No, ma'am."

Renfro smiled to herself. 452 was already covering up for 494. The two had become, at the very least, acquaintances, as 494 reported in his report a day ago, before he was aware of her escape plans.

"Well, we need results 452. You are authorized to use the full night to complete this mission. I expect this will give you more opportunities for success."

"Yes ma'am," Max replied, her face emotionless. But her heart had sunk as her escape plans were washed away. With Alec in her cell all night, there was no way she could leave, at least not without him knowing. Perhaps she could convince him to come with her.

"Dismissed."

Max saluted and left, sulking. Would Alec agree to go with her, or would he try to stop her? He had said that whatever she did was her own business, but in the end, she knew he was loyal to Manticore. For all she knew, he already told, but considering nothing had happened yet, she assumed she was still safe. She would have to wait until this breeding program ended.

Max could not believe her luck. She was so close to getting out. She had been planning on leaving tomorrow, right after her time with Alec. So much for an escape. Over the past few weeks, more and more of her memories trickled back, and she was starting to remember more of who she was before Manticore. With the motivation to leave, she sped up working on an escape plan.

Once she was able to squeeze through the hole, she had a chance to explore Manticore's basement. She had met Joshua, a dog-man who lurked in the basement and took care of other basement inhabitants. She had seen the X7s guarding the perimeter fence. By now, she had memorized their patrol routes and was working on a escape route that would leave her unseen by X7s. Joshua had agreed to help her as she worked on sawing away at the bars that would allow her access to ground level. She had become fond of Joshua, and really enjoyed talking to him. He often would talk about his Father, a guy whom he called Sandeman. He wanted to go with her, but she told him he couldn't, because he was different, and people would be scared of things that are different. Joshua had whined sadly, but understood.

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

In a surprising turn of events, the trainers informed Units 4 and 6 that they would be divided into randomly selected groups for the next few days with randomly selected leaders. The purpose was to give the COs a 'break', as well as the SICs so that the DIs could gauge the leadership abilities of various soldiers. There was a possibility that they would group X6 soldiers with an X5 as the commanding officer, and they wanted to screen out possible applicants.

At least that's what the soldiers were told. Perhaps what was more surprising, however, was when 452 was called to lead a group, earning her many surprised and curious glances.

"In the third group will be 561, 809, 729, 536, 392, 452, and 288, with 452 as the group leader," a sergeant informed.

Max's face revealed nothing as she took her place at the head of her group, but her stomach was filled with butterflies as the one question played over and over in her head: will they even listen to me?

The exercise was simple. It was a free for all battle – the last team standing wins. Each team had five minutes to plan their attack and scatter. Max was sure to waste no time.

"We'll go in pairs so that you can cover each other. 561 with 809, 536 with 729, and 392 with 288. I know you guys probably hate me, so I'll go by myself." Max didn't bother to see if anyone would object. She just continued dividing them up. "561 and 809, you'll cover the east side. 536 and 729, you'll cover the west. 392 and 288, you'll cover the north side. I'll head south. Considering there are four teams, it may be to your advantage if you let the others fight it out. Don't give away your positions unless you need to. Stay alert and good luck. Let's move out."

Max turned around and headed south, watching from the corner of her eye to see if the others would do the same. Fortunately, they did, and Max allowed a small smile. That wasn't so bad.

As the five minute count down ended, she decided to take her own advice. She was by herself, which meant she would have no one to cover her. So she kept moving, escaping and evading. It was what she did best, and there was no need to engage the enemy prematurely.

She paused when she heard another set of footsteps, keeping her breathing even. As she realized who it was, she grinned. Alec was all by himself...

Alec might as well been whistling – his footsteps were rather loud, but it was from moving quickly. That was his way of avoiding enemies. He had heard someone ahead of him, but when he listened again, it seemed that what he heard might have just been a figment of his imagination, or maybe the person stopped moving. He shrugged and moved on, ducking behind a bush to take cover a few seconds later. He would ambush whoever would come looking for him.

"Boo!" Max whispered as she threw him down from behind, taking his weapon from him in the process.

Alec quickly jumped up and sent an attack her way, grinning when he realized who it was. "You almost had me Max," he quipped.

"You might want to...duck," she warned with a smirk before dashing away.

Alec frowned but ducked just in time to avoid a line of bullets coming his way sent by another pair of soldiers. By the time he was clear, Max had disappeared. He cursed and continued on without a weapon, realizing Max had taken his.

Max used the distraction to go around and take out the soldiers who were aiming at Alec only seconds earlier. As soon as they were down, she kept moving, knowing the shots would have given away her position to anyone else nearby. Once she was a good distance away, she went back to her escaping and evading ways, letting the other soldiers take it out on each other first.

As the hour came to an end, an announcement was made revealing that only four remained. One group had been completely eliminated while a pair from the fourth group remained. One from the first and third groups also remained.

Alec sighed, knowing he was the only one remaining from his group. It would be unlikely that he would win in this situation. Although he was borrowing another soldier's weapon after eliminating him, the odds were still against him. He grinned when he spotted Max in the distance and aimed his weapon. She was one of the few remaining...but wouldn't be for long, he thought.

Max crouched just in time to examine a set of tracks. Hearing the bullets burst by, she knew someone was after her and instantly took off, searching for the direction in which the bullets had come. Max groaned as she realized Alec had sent those bullets at her. She was so going to kick his ass.

Alec cursed as Max suddenly ducked when he fired his shots. He blurred away from his position, knowing Max would now be after him. Neither of them noticed two other soldiers watching them from afar, ready to take aim on the unsuspecting targets.

Max blurred out of nowhere, aiming an attack at Alec. Alec caught her in mid punch and threw her to the ground. Max kicked the gun out of his hand just as he was about to fire. She had no idea why she didn't just use the gun to take him out, but then again, where's the fun in that?

Once the gun was on the ground, she sent a kick to his chest. He caught her foot and threw her, but she maneuvered herself in the middle of the throw so that she would land into a roll.

"You want to fight, huh?" Alec observed as he threw a punch at her.

Max sidestepped and tried to punch him in the face, but he also dodged it, aiming a kick to her stomach. Max caught his foot just in him and ducked as he sent a few punches, causing her to release his leg.

He tried to put her into an arm lock, but she easily wriggled out of it and kneed him in the gut, sending him back a few feet.

"Is that all you got?" Max taunted as she watched him recover.

Alec smirked, "Just getting a bit warmed up, that's all."

Max returned the smirk as the two blurred again to start another fight.

A distance away, two soldiers watched in amusement as the fight continued.

"Isn't that 494 and 452?" 343 asked.

"That's definitely our CO with the '09er," 511 confirmed with a grin.

"They seem to be getting along quite well," 343 noted. "I mean, when we're not in these exercises."

"Yep..." 511 had noticed the way 494 eyed 452. He had never seen his CO act the way he did around anyone else before. There was definitely something going on, and the two were technically breeding partners...Of course, by 'getting along quite well' that meant every time they were together, they seemed to be bicker about something. 494 would say something, and 452 would always take it the wrong way, leading into an argument.

"When do you suppose we should end their fun?" 343 inquired.

"Hmm...I wanna see 452 kick his butt a bit more, so maybe a little bit later. That girl sure knows how to fight. I can barely land a punch on 494, but she's got in quite a few already."

"Maybe 494 is being easy on her."

"Doubtful. Even if he liked the girl, which is a given, he wouldn't risk his reputation for her. He's got too big of an ego. I've known him my whole life, and never has he let anyone stop him from reaching the top. Besides, he really looks like he's fighting, not just faking it. Oo...that's gotta hurt."

"Yeah, I'm glad she's not my sparring partner...I'm not sure I'd be able to walk for a while after that, much less breathe."

"She's certainly something. If only she didn't shut everyone else out. I think she'd be a cool person to get to know."

343 rolled his eyes. "You just love hitting on every girl, don't you?"

"What?" 511 asked innocently. "I'm just saying she seems pretty cool."

"Sure...but she _is_ hot, don't get me wrong. Maybe if I had been chosen to be her breeding partner, I'd be getting beat up right now."

511 snorted. "You wouldn't stand a chance against her."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," 343 retorted.

"Anytime, bud. Hmm...looks like they're nearly done. Let's get them now?"

"Guess the show is getting a bit boring now. Ready whenever you are."

The two transgenics aimed a few careful shots and finished the game. Alec and Max had no idea what hit them, as they were too engaged in their own battle.

**Cell 306**

Later that night, Max made her way out of the crawlspace only to come face to face with Alec. "Do you always come this early?" she asked, irritated.

Alec grinned. "Well, I figured since we have all night, we could try for a really romantic evening." But he had really come early just to make sure she didn't slip away. He didn't know why he really cared. She wanted out of Manticore, and who was he to really stop her? He had his orders, but they didn't require him going out of his way to do it.

Max rolled her eyes and went back to reading her books. The instructors had assigned her more reading assignments, but these assignments seemed completely random. Before, at least the assignments were in some sensible order.

Alec had brought a nice fluffy pillow with him this time and made himself a spot on the floor. Max glanced over occasionally as he napped, or pretended to nap.

"Where'd you get the pillow?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Snuck it out of the infirmary. You wanna try it out?" he asked, gesturing to the floor space right next to him.

Max scoffed. "I'm fine."

"Suit yourself," Alec said with a shrug.

Max went back to her books. She was reading about various strategies military leaders used in the past to defeat their opponents. There seemed to be a strong emphasis on leadership skills.

An hour later, Alec awoke again from his nap. He wasn't completely asleep; he had kept his ears open to see if Max would try and leave, but he still was able to rest some.

"Anything interesting?" Alec asked, as he stretched.

"Not really," Max muttered. "Unless you find Adolf Hitler interesting, with Machiavelli's philosophy of how leaders should be feared as opposed to loved as the underlying reasoning behind his tyranny."

Alec's interest perked up. "Somewhat. What have they got you reading?" he suddenly asked.

Max held up the textbook. Alec's eyes almost widened in surprise as he recognized the textbook from leadership curriculum only commanding officers went through.

"You've got to be kidding me if you're telling me _you_ like these 'military geniuses'," Max retorted.

"They're OK. I mean, some of them do remind me a little of myself there," Alec finished lamely to cover up his surprise. "Did whoever assign that give any reason as to why you're reading about them?"

Max stopped her reading and looked at him curiously. "Why are you suddenly so interested? You've always found my studies a bore. You're the brawns, remember?"

"Can't I just try and make some friendly conversation?" he asked, pretending to be offended. "We've got a few more hours to kill. Just thought I'd help pass time."

Max rolled her eyes and picked up the next book in the sequence. Before she began reading, however, she decided to answer him, "No reason was given. This week's assignment actually seems a bit random. The lessons before at least had some relevance to the previous lessons. Got anymore questions?"

Hearing the irritation in his voice, Alec held up his hands, indicating he wasn't planning on interfering anymore. He watched her carefully as she absorbed herself into the new textbook. Was that what Renfro had in mind - making Max a CO?! It would explain why she was reading those textbooks, her leadership position in the field exercises, and why she had been training with Class Alpha. Obviously Max wasn't aware of what she was reading, or what possibly awaited her, and he didn't plan on telling her. He wasn't one hundred percent sure anyway, so he'd hate to tell her the wrong thing.

Still, the idea of it was mind blowing. Why would Renfro make _her_ a CO?! No one would follow orders after the way she's been treating them. Hell, no one would follow orders just because she was an escapee. It didn't matter how she had treated them. It won't help that she's been ignoring everyone around her. Yet...she _did_ lead a group during field exercises...and they _did_ follow instructions, didn't they? Perhaps it wasn't as far fetched as it sounded. Max had proven herself in Class Alpha though, but the other X5s don't know that. They would still give her problems.

But Max as CO. Alec grinned, it would be interesting. He would have another unit to defeat to add to his resume. He could live with that, and at least she'd stay here. _Wait, why do I care if she stays here or not?_

Max noticed the smile on Alec's lips. "What are you smiling about?" she asked, her voice having the usual irritated tone.

Alec turned his grin to her. "Nothing," he answered meekly.

Max shook her head disbelievingly, but said nothing more. She had been thinking about the escape, and whether or not she could still carry it out. Despite her earlier decision to wait until the breeding program ended, she knew there was no way to determine how long that would take. With her training in Class Alpha still not ending, she was starting to get the impression things were going to stay like this, and she did not want to be around for it.

She sighed as she came to a decision to ask what had been on her mind. She trusted him not to report her, at the least. "Alec."

Alec looked up. "Hmm?"

"...if I wanted to leave...would you come with me?"

* * *

**A/N**: Well, I hope you liked this chapter. I've managed to merge a lot of the chapters I wrote (26 chapters down to 17), so now, with each update, you'll get a longer chapter. It will also mean that I'm going to space out my updates a bit more so everyone has more time to read it - well, that is my intention, but we'll see how that goes... I know people are reading, just not reviewing (I have around the same number of story alerts as I do reviews... -sighs-), but reviews make me happy. Please review and let me know how I did, what you want to see in the future, predictions, anything!!! I respond to all reviews... 

-sighs- I see my begging for reviews does little anyway, so I'll stop now. Enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading!


	6. Unit 9

**A/N**: Due to an overwhelmingly large demand for an update, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.

**Chapter 6: Unit 9**

She sighed as she came to a decision to ask what had been on her mind. She trusted him not to report her, at the least. "Alec."

Alec looked up. "Hmm?"

"...if I wanted to leave and had a way to...would you come with me?"

Alec froze. Of all things he had expected from Max, this was not one of them. They weren't even friends. Well, at least he didn't think _she_ thought of them as friends. Still, he didn't expect her to invite him along for an escape.

"Now why would I do that?" Alec proceeded cautiously.

"Well, now that you're spending the whole night in my cell, I don't really have the advantage of no one knowing I'm missing. I'm not letting you get in my way, Alec, so if you don't want to come along, I'll warn you now – don't bother stopping me. But if you want to avoid getting in trouble for my absence, come with me."

Alec absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't prepared for this. "Max, there's no way you'll make it over the perimeter alive with those X7s. They've got hive minds and they're highly loyal to Manticore. They'll stop you at all costs. If you're lucky, they'll take you back alive."

Max sighed. She should have expected this. "I'll take my chances, Alec, but this isn't me. I don't like training. I don't like Manticore. I can't deal with missions if I'm ever assigned one. I had a life out there, and I miss it. This may be hard for you to understand, but there are people I love and care about out there. I...just want to be with them," she admitted sadly.

"Is that why you didn't want to sleep with me?" he asked with a small smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere. She was wrong about him not understanding. He had loved once, but Manticore had taken all that away from him. He was the cause of her death, and the guilt he felt was still there after all the time he had spent in psy-ops afterwards.

Max nodded sadly. "Please...just think about it."

Alec's heart sunk. His only remaining mission objective had been confirmed, but his accomplished mission had brought along more problems than he anticipated. Why did everything have to happen at once? He remained silent as he tried to process everything that had just happened.

"Max, I'm not looking for trouble. I can't go with you."

"Then help me," she pleaded. "This is your chance to get me out of your life for good."

"Who said I wanted you out of my life?" he asked with a smirk.

"You're going to tell me you don't want a new breeding partner?"

Alec pretended to think about it for a while. "You know, you make it sound like all guys think about is sex."

"So what? Now you're going to tell me you're not the typical guy?" she mused.

"Does your boyfriend think about sex all the time?" he asked, steering the question away from him.

Max paused. "It was never like that." Although she couldn't remember who she had been with in her past life, she knew it didn't progress as far as sleeping together. She had a vague dream about it, where the image of her lover had been blurred, yet she knew it was just that - a dream and nothing more. But she knew they loved each other, and she was not going to give up on him. She only hoped he wouldn't give up on her...

Alec cocked an eyebrow. "You mean to tell me you've never slept with your boyfriend?"

Max turned away. "It's none of your business."

Alec laughed, "No wonder you want out so bad. Let me guess – you two kept waiting for the right time that never came. Now that you're back here in good old Manticore, you realize your mistake and want to make it up to him. And you say guys are the only ones thinking about it."

"Shut up!" Max said, now irritated. "Are you coming or not?"

"Max, now is not the best time. The X6s are conducting night exercises this whole week. Resultantly there's been several other X7 units added to patrol the perimeter," Alec lied. Stalling for time was the only thing he could think of doing for now. "You won't get out without being seen. Even you should know it's better to wait until security is loosened up."

Max sighed, knowing that it would be impossible to get pass an increased number of X7s. Her plan was already risky as is. "You're right. Next week then," she agreed as she returned to reading. Her eyes reflected a sadness Alec had never seen in her before.

Alec sighed in relief, glad that it worked, but he didn't feel any better for what he just did, and he couldn't understand why. Now he had to figure out what to report to Renfro tomorrow...

**Director's Office, Manticore**

"A new development?" Renfro asked as she admitted 494 into her office.

"Yes ma'am. 452 is planning to escape by next week. She was actually going to try and escape last night, but I lied about an increase in X7 units patrolling the perimeter to deter her from leaving. She asked me to come along, but I refused. Then she asked me to assist her."

"Seems you two have become quite friends," Renfro commented.

"She was left with no choice. She was desperate to leave and told me not to stand in her way. She implied if I didn't help her, she would make sure I was not able to stop her, ma'am." So maybe they were 'friends', as Renfro had put it, but Max had only asked him along to allow him a chance to escape Manticore's unhappy clutches after her escape. Wait, did that mean she cared for him?

"Why was she desperate to leave?"

"She says she misses her life outside. Her friends. She says Manticore isn't for her. She does not like training and would not ever agree to carry out missions."

"And a boyfriend?"

Alec paused before answering, "She did not mention one, ma'am." Alec knew that if Manticore found out, they would eliminate him, and no guy deserved to die because his girlfriend was a genetically-enhanced super-soldier stuck in a military establishment that wanted her to conform. He would at least give Max a chance to find her love again if she managed an escape; he was not going to let Manticore take that away from her as they had from him. Alec just wasn't intending on helping her escape. He didn't want any fingers pointed at him. He continued to make sure that the issue would be dropped, "I asked her specifically if she had someone waiting for her on the outside, and she looked at me as if I were crazy, so I believe she has no significant other."

Renfro nodded, but she still held some suspicion. "Do you know what day she may attempt escape?"

"No, ma'am. Just sometime next week."

"You will remain with her at night then."

"Ma'am, most of the breeding partners have already completed their mission a while ago. Won't this be suspicious?" Alec asked, hoping to be removed from this position. He was starting to get uneasy about this mission, as his loyalty to Manticore was tested time and time again, right alongside his morals and principles.

Renfro knew that he was right; if the two remained together, it would seem abnormal. So she decided something new. "I'll have 452 moved to another cell then. It will deter her from escaping for a while longer. Your mission is concluded, 494, as all your mission objectives have been completed. Well done."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"You will remain with her for tonight to watch for further escape attempts, but I will have a place for her by tomorrow night, so you will be able to return to your normal schedule. Your are dismissed."

"Yes ma'am." Alec saluted before walking away. He didn't know what it was about this mission Renfro had assigned him, but part of him was glad it was over, yet another part of him would miss talking to Max. He didn't really understand why, since every time they ended up talking, he would find himself with a few new bruises with no idea as to how they got there. Maybe it was just because she was an '09er, which made her a bit more interesting than the other soldiers, he concluded.

**Conference Room, Manticore**

It was the day before a new unit was to be formed, so Renfro called a lunch meeting to ask for a report from the trainers.

"How is 452?"

"452 was given some practice with leadership during a field training exercise these past several days. The units were broken down into smaller groups and I assigned her to lead one of them," Sergeant Nickerson answered. "She did fine, and surprisingly, there were very few problems. The X5s followed her orders without question and without emotion. If there was any resentment, none of them showed it. 452 has proven herself in Class Alpha, however, so there may be some respect that has built up, in spite of the way she isolates herself from everyone. That may not carry on to soldiers outside of those units, however."

"After lights out, she was assigned some of the more important pieces found in the leadership curriculum the commanding officers went through before being assigned a unit. Given the time, it's the best we could do, ma'am," one of the trainers informed. "If she's not ready by now, there's nothing else we can do."

Renfro nodded. Their answers would have to do. "Very well then. Your efforts to make this work are most appreciated," she said before adjourning the meeting.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

"Hey Max," Alec greeted as he took a seat across from her.

Max didn't look up, stirring her mashed potatoes with her fork.

"You going to eat that?" Alec asked as he noticed she sculpted some type of bird like figure with her spoon.

"Leave me alone Alec."

"Oh come on. What's wrong Max?"

"Alec, just leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to talk, ok?" her voice was cold, emotionless, as if she had lost something. It made Alec uneasy. He had never seen Max like this.

"Max?"

Max was silent, but she looked up at him. The usual anger and irritation was absent. In its place was the same sadness Alec had saw last night.

Alec sighed, knowing immediately what was bothering her, and actually feeling a bit guilty for what he did this morning, but he immediately pushed the guilt away. He was just doing his mission; he did nothing wrong.

"Max. Everything will be OK. Next week, right? You'll never see me again, hmm?" he tried reassuringly, even though he knew it was a lie.

Max looked back down at her food now. She didn't know why she was so pessimistic about things, but she had a feeling there would be no next week – that her window of opportunity had just passed. It was only a gut feeling, but she had grown up on the outside world trusting her gut, and it had saved her plenty of times from landing back in Manticore. There was no reason for her to doubt it now. She shrugged before moving on to decorate her potatoes with peas and carrots.

Alec frowned, knowing what he said had no effect. Renfro couldn't possibly have told her about the move yet – he would have noticed her absence from class. She couldn't possibly have known he turned her in, could she? Then again, if she did, he'd probably be dead by now. Or ignoring him completely.

"Well, if you're not going to eat that, I can always use some more nutrients," Alec said as he took a spoonful of peas from her tray.

Max still said nothing and just allowed him to take her food. Alec downed her vegetables before watching her carefully. "Is Max in?" he asked. "Or is it just 452?"

That caught her attention, and her eyes instantly changed into the angry character he was used to seeing. He withheld a smile as he watched Max stop her moping, knowing he was only going to get a tongue thrashing instead.

"Why are you here, Alec?" she spat. "Can't your pea-sized brain realize I just want to be left alone, or perhaps you don't even have a brain!"

"Chill, Max. I'm just trying to stop your moping. Looks like it worked."

Max glared at him and before Alec knew what hit him, his shirt was covered in bits of mashed potatoes, carrots, and peas.

Max left the mess hall afterwards, deciding to cool off by taking a shower. Alec just didn't know when to quit, she thought. Maybe this time he'll learn.

Alec sighed as he looked at the mess she had made for him to clean up. Why was he trying to make her mad? He should have just left her alone. At least then he wouldn't have to clean this up. He realized then that he wasn't even blaming her for what she did, unlike when they first met. He had expected this type of behavior from her, so he could have taken the steps to prevent it, yet he didn't. He only provoked her more. Why?

**Director's Office, Manticore**

Renfro examined the X5s before her standing at attention. She had taken one from Units 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7. She took 2 from Unit 3 and 3 from Unit 8. "At ease," she ordered.

"Effective tonight at 2300, you ten will be transferred to Unit 9."

The X5s shared a look of confusion since Unit 9 did not exist, but no one said anything.

"Your commanding officer will be X5-452."

Another look of surprise spread through the line, as well as the programmed hatred directed at the mention of any escapee, but Renfro continued anyway. "Your current accommodations are located close to your own unit members to promote teamwork and camaraderie. To maintain that, you will be relocated to another set of barracks with other Unit 9 members. Your training schedule will be found in your new barracks."

She quickly ran through the list for the new living arrangements.

"You will report there tonight for lights out and begin training as a member of Unit 9 at Reveille. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Now she would give them the opportunity to bend things her way. "Any questions?" she asked.

"X5-321, ma'am," a soldier spoke up. "Permission to speak, ma'am?"

"Permission granted."

"Unit 9 does not exist, ma'am. How can we be transferred to a non-existent unit?" 321 asked, confused.

"Unit 9 did not exist, but it does now. You ten are the new Unit 9, along with your commanding officer."

This prompted another question, and another X5 spoke up. "X5-428, ma'am. Permission to speak, ma'am?"

"Permission granted."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, X5-452 is a traitor. She escaped eleven years ago and lacks the training we all have received during that time span. How is it possible that she be made a commanding officer?"

That was the question Renfro was waiting for. "I'm aware of the situation. Unfortunately, I cannot do anything about it. The decision did not come from me," she fabricated. "which is why I'm leaving it up to you to show us what you think of her as commanding officer."

She could see a few traces of a smile among the transgenics.

"Any other questions?"

"X5-729, ma'am, requesting permission to speak."

"Permission granted."

"You said the ten of us would make up Unit 9. Our total count would be eleven members. Most units are composed of fourteen to fifteen members, now thirteen to fourteen after the transfer. That still puts us at a disadvantage during group missions and exercises."

"We're looking for more transfers to even the odds, but you will have to wait patiently," Renfro lied yet again. "Work hard and maybe it won't matter. Any other questions?"

No one said anything, so she dismissed them. An hour later, 452 was scheduled to arrive for the same news. Renfro smiled to herself – so far, things were going according to plan.

**One Hour Later**

Max stood patiently at attention, wondering what this meeting would be about. Hopefully it wasn't about her unsuccessful attempts at getting pregnant, like the last meeting with the Director had been.

"State your designation," Renfro began.

"X5-452!" Max yelled. Clearly the woman was not tired of asking that same, damn question, she thought.

"Tell me, 452, what do you think of your training so far?"

Max had no idea why she was being asked this question, so she couldn't figure out what answer Renfro would want to hear. She settled for the truth, for once. That's what Max would say, and Max was in, not 452, she thought as she thought back to the question Alec had asked her.

"Ma'am, not very fond of it, ma'am."

Renfro hid a smile. "Is that so? Why not 452?"

Max said nothing this time, fearing any answer she would give would land her back in psy-ops – something she couldn't afford if she was going to jump the fence.

"Missing life outside?" the Director taunted.

Alec wouldn't give her away, would he? Renfro already knew she missed her life outside, right? If that jerk said anything...

When she noticed Renfro was waiting for a response, she gave her one, "No, ma'am."

Renfro moved onto the next question. "How would you say you are doing in Class Alpha, 452?"

Max smiled slightly as she asked in reply, "Ma'am, twenty years here and Class Alpha consists of your top soldiers?"

Renfro chuckled. "Well, since you have not had any problems catching up, I have new orders for you."

Max's heart skipped a beat – she had not expected this. She was under the impression that things were not going to change for a while, yet here she was, awaiting orders for something new.

"Four weeks ago, you were admitted back to training. I told you that you might eventually find yourself with a unit." Renfro paused for effect before continuing. "You have been assigned to Unit 9."

Max had stayed in Manticore long enough to know that Unit 9 did not exist, so she was confused. "Unit 9 doesn't exist," she blurted out, forgetting her manners.

Fortunately, Renfro overlooked it. "It didn't before. Now it does. Since units are usually assigned living quarters within close proximity to each other to promote teamwork and camaraderie, you will be moved. You are to report to Cell 421 for lights out tonight and to begin training with Unit 9 at Reveille. The Unit 9 schedule will be in your room. Until then, you will remain with Class Alpha and follow their training schedule. Your participation in the breeding program has also been terminated. You are no longer required to meet with 494."

Max's heart sunk. There went her escape tunnel. She should have left when she had the chance. She should have listened to that gut feeling. Now she would have to make a new one, if that was even possible.

Renfro noticed the disappointment in the X5's face and credited it to the ruined escape plan. Again she withheld a smile as she continued. "Any questions?"

Max shook her head, but then realized she didn't know who the CO was. "Ma'am, if Unit 9 is new, then who will lead it?"

Glad that 452 to ask the right question, Renfro let out a wicked smile as she revealed, "It seems I have forgotten the most important detail. You, 452, will be leading them."

Max could not believe the words coming out of the Director's mouth. "Ma'am, I don't understand."

"It's not that complicated, 452. You will be the commanding officer for Unit 9."

"Ma'am, shouldn't someone who has been here the whole time be assigned such a position?" Max did not want the position; it was not her thing. She couldn't do it. She wasn't meant to lead a unit. Why did this have to happen now – to her? She had tried so hard to avoid others. Now she would have to _lead_ them?! Luck was against her.

"Are you saying you're not up for it 452?" the Director inquired. "You seemed quite confident of your abilities earlier."

Max was silent, seeing the trap Renfro had been building all along. She had just walked right into blindly. "No, ma'am," she replied through gritted teeth.

Renfro smiled in triumph. "Choose wisely, 452. Every order you make will reflect upon you. Every failure you encounter will not only be felt by you alone, but by those you led astray. I will make certain of it, so I hope you took your extra assignments seriously," she said with a smirk.

"Yes, ma'am," Max responded angrily, but still in a soldierly manner.

"You may want to stop isolating yourself, 452. It's easier to lead when your unit can trust you. Being a traitor in their eyes won't help. You'll want to change that, unless you really want them to think you are one."

Max had just dropped to a lower level in hell. She had not factored in the fact that she would be commanding a unit with an undying hatred for escapees. Who knew receiving such a position of high honor could actually be so bad? Max could only glare at the Director as Renfro celebrated her sweet victory.

"This isn't over," Max said coldly. "You think this will bring me back to Manticore? Nothing will."

Renfro crossed her arms and merely smiled as Max made it evident she saw through Renfro's plan. "I knew you were playing along 452, or is it Max?"

Max flinched as the woman used her name.

"When you were released from psy-ops, I could see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice. You had no intention of staying at Manticore, 452. You wanted to leave as soon as the opportunity would present itself, but you know I cannot allow that 452. You're going to help Manticore, whether you want to or not."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I know you, 452, and something tells me you will."

Max clenched her fist as she desperately wished she could strangle the woman.

"You are dismissed, 452."

Max sharply turned and left, not even bothering to salute. The only thing worse about realizing Renfro's plan was knowing it just might work. She wouldn't admit that to Renfro, but she knew just as well as Renfro did who she was.

* * *

**A/N**: Heh, first off, I have no idea what it was that made the last chapter so special, but I received a record number of reviews. Many seemed to like the MA scene in the woods... It would be awesome if that number could be repeated (or surpassed) hint, hint. Anyway, I hope you liked this update. The more reviews...the faster the updates come. The next chapter will be mostly focused on introducing the new unit. I know how difficult designations are to memorize, so I'll try to attach a specialty with each person before I give names (unfortunately names just don't appear overnight in Manticore) so that it will hopefully be easier to remember. I had trouble writing all the characters without having my own list in front of me -sighs-. 

Some other thoughts about this chapter: I have no idea how I managed to make Renfro so...manipulative (well, at least I thought she was rather manipulative, but feel free to prove me wrong). I scared myself, really. I'm actually curious as to what you all thought of Alec's reaction in this chapter. In particular - not leaving with Max and reporting to Renfro that Max had no boyfriend...but whatever else you may want to add is welcomed. (subliminal message: answer to these questions go perfect in a review!) I know some of you were wishing Logan dead, and that most likely would have happened had Alec told Renfro, but I personally wanted Alec to be...is unselfish the word? -shrugs- I don't despise Logan enough to have him murdered by Manticore.

Some of you have also been wondering how much Max remembers. After looking into that, I realized I didn't really write about that until a few chapters from this one, so I added some tidbits to include what she remembers of Logan, but the rest will be revealed in due time.

Ahem, click the review button and speak your thoughts. It'll do you good... -grins- Thanks for reading!

For my anonmyous reviewers (or those who didn't log in - there was more than one, so I'm not trying to single anyone out...):

**akka**: I'm glad you're enjoying this fic. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

**Kayla**: hmm, I do wonder what would happen if Alec escaped with Max...or attempted to escape. Or escaped and then ... well if they escaped, there would be so many possibilities. It could be just like Season 2...or not. Too bad I can't explore that alternative in this story.

**random person**: Glad you like my stories. -smiles- thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

**Astra**: I'm glad you find the pace just right. Further down the road, I actually had to add a chapter in between chapters because I felt it was moving too fast from one point to the next. Hopefully I won't need to add anymore chapters...Well, Max as leader is coming up, as is her new unit! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	7. Transfer Orders

**Chapter 7: Transfer Orders**

**Barracks, Manticore**

X5-321, X5-409, and X5-261 all headed back to their barracks to inform Unit 8's CO of their status. They were hoping for a new mission and even expecting one. After all, most of the soldiers in their unit that had fully recovered from their failed mission were being redeployed They weren't expecting a transfer – especially to a traitor's unit. It made no sense. 321 rapped lightly on their CO's door. X5-600 had just recently returned from a solo mission – he was not been expecting any visitors, nor was he in the mood for them.

X5-734 was returning to her own cell when she saw the three waiting in front of 600's cell. 734 suspected she was placed in Unit 8 because of 600's identical appearance to her former CO, 599 (aka Zack). 600 was quite different than 599 though – he was stricter (as if 599 wasn't strict enough), and often in a foul mood. Perhaps it was because he had spent so much time in psy-ops due to 599's part in the escape. Although 734 was part of Unit 8, she rarely went on missions with them, as she more often than not was assisting Command in bringing back the escapees. Command felt a familiar face would make it easier to bring the escapees back. Most of her missions had led to dead ends, however.

734 stayed clear of 321 and his friends – they were the first to pick on her for being a traitor when she was placed in Unit 8, and even now, 321 would occasionally give her menacing glances. 734 tried to quietly slip into her cell, but 321 saw her already.

"You know, I smell a rat," 321 announced as 734 opened her door.

409 elbowed 321, whispering him to lay off. 321 glared but 600's door opened before they could say anything more. "What's going on?" 600 asked, irritated. "You better not be here to tell me you're in isolation for another prank of yours," 600 muttered.

734 slipped into her room, leaving it open out of curiosity. 409 and 261 had stopped picking on her a while back, and they often kept 321 in check, but 321 still didn't stop pestering her. He was annoying, no doubt.

"We're getting transferred," 321 informed 600. "409, 261, and myself."

"To who's unit?" 600 asked absentmindedly. Although 321 was a good soldier, he was a pain in the ass. He often missed many of their training exercises due to the pranks he would play, landing him in isolation.

The three were silent until 600 looked at them seriously, waiting for an answer. "Well?"

"452's," 261 spoke up.

If 600 was tired before, it no longer showed. "Is this another prank 321, because I'm _not_ in the mood today."

"Not a prank," 409 reassured. "They're creating a new unit, Unit 9, for 452, and we're its new members."

734 was listening intently now. Her little sister would be the commanding officer for a unit? That was unexpected, but it would explain why she was training with Class Alpha. Her sister...CO. 734 smiled slightly, proud for her sister. 452 had been one of their best soldiers back in the day. She often was jealous at how well 452 would do, but she eventually got used to it. It was in 452's genes, she had explained to herself.

"Command is making a _traitor_ the new commanding officer of a newly formed unit?!" 600 asked in disbelief.

"Yes, sir," 321 confirmed. "We begin training with Unit 9 as soon as Reveille arrives. We're moving to a new cell block tonight."

600 cursed as the news of what happened dawned on him. Their failed mission had already broken down his unit. Most of Unit 8 was injured and put out of active duty for at least a few weeks. A few were sent on solo or paired missions. They haven't done training as a unit since returning to base. Now three good soldiers were leaving him. He wasn't even sure if he would still have a unit left when everything sorted itself out.

"I can't believe Command is doing this to me," 600 muttered angrily. "You've been a pain in my ass, 321, but I liked having you around. You three weren't bad soldiers. Make sure you give 452 what she deserves. Traitors don't lead, got that? That goes for you two as well, 409...261."

321 smiled mischievously. "Yes, sir!"

409 and 261 repeated 321's words. The three gave a strong salute before heading towards their new barracks. 600 returned to his own cell, not happy with the change of events. 734 finally closed her door, wondering how her sister's new post would change things at Manticore. No one would welcome it, that much was certain.

**Gym, Manticore**

X5-863 had just finished her last class of the day. It was rec hour and she was planning on going to the gym to work off some excess energy and get a hold on her thoughts. She could not believe her orders. Not only was she getting transferred into a new unit and expected to follow the orders of a traitor, but she also had to be placed with the failures of Unit 8. She didn't mind 261 and 409, but that jerk 321 was another story. She had still not forgiven him for the prank he pulled on her, and she wasn't planning on forgiving him anytime soon. She grinned as she realized she would now have an opportunity for some pay back.

261 was a sweet girl, not that they ever talked much, but she always radiated a type of warmth not very common in most of the Manticore soldiers. She specialized in communications and first aid, suiting her caring nature. 409 wasn't so bad as well – they often had something in common to talk about: weapons. 409 always argued in favor of the explosive weapons – RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), hand grenades, rocket launchers, etc. She would attempt to convince him why things that go boom weren't always the most efficient way of eliminating the enemy. Their debates were often interrupted by 321, who would attempt to flirt with her, if not pull a prank on her.

863 wasn't blind to not notice 321's affections for her, but she was certainly not interested in the cocky prankster. It didn't matter anyway if she was – Manticore would not allow relationships. She was not about to go and defy Manticore just to smooch with another soldier. Although she had never been to psy-ops for a long period of time, she had heard the horror stories of those who stayed for over a week, and the results were not pleasant.

863 wondered how her CO would take her departure. They never really liked each other, but they worked through their differences. They had to – the mission's success depended upon it. Still, they didn't get along and rarely spoke to each other if they could help it. 863 was not intending on telling her CO, since she figured Command would eventually inform them. She was not planning on saying good bye – it just wasn't her style.

863 was viewed by others as a tough gal who wasn't to be messed with. She would not hesitate to make you move if you stood in her way, and everyone knew that. She had a few acquaintances in her unit, but the majority of her 'friends' were in other units, which, conveniently enough, had also been moved to Unit 9, aside from 321, that is.

As 863 arrived at the gymnasium, she saw X5-428 doing some laps in Manticore's Olympic sized swimming pool. 428 had always been a good friend. They once had a mission together, and although the two didn't get along at first, by the end of the mission, they couldn't stop talking. The girl wasn't good at many things, but she was an awesome swimmer. She held the record for any underwater exercise Manticore threw at them and often spent her free time at the pool. It wouldn't be too surprising if the girl had too much DNA from various aquatic creatures.

"How's the water?" 863 asked.

428 surfaced and smiled. "Why don't you come see for yourself?!"

"You know swimming's not my thing," 863 returned. "So it looks like we'll be in the same unit now."

"Yeah, what a surprise, huh? I can't believe Command is making us listen to a traitor."

"Remember what Renfro said? She told us to let them know what we think of the rat. That means we don't really have to listen."

"True. I'm willing to bet that 321's going to prank 452."

863 frowned. "I can't believe we're in the same unit."

"He's just trying to get your attention," 428 reminded, slightly amused. "Give him a break. He really likes you."

"Well, he's doing it all the wrong way," 863 muttered. "And I don't like him!"

"Oh come on. He's not that bad. He's an excellent shooter – one of the few that got perfect marks on that marksmanship exam, which is why he's always a sniper on missions. I know you're not complaining about _that_. You're always arguing with 409 how guns are more efficient."

863 snorted. "Don't remind me. Well, 321's going to be paying for that stunt he pulled, and now that we're going to be together, it makes it all the more easier for me to give him some pay back."

"It also makes it easier for him to prank you again," 428 pointed out.

"He can fool me once, but not twice." She decided to change the topic. "Have you seen 157 lately?"

"Yeah, I saw him in the weight room earlier. I would think he's still there."

"I'm going to check in with him then and see what he thinks of this Unit 9 situation."

428 nodded. "Alright. See you tomorrow then."

863 nodded and left.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

X5-729 and X5-134 were seated together playing a game of chess. It wasn't often that they hung out – at least not anymore. 729 and 134 were relatively good friends. They had been in the same unit a while back until 729 was transferred. The two worked well together, with 134's excellent sense of direction and 729's skills in stealth, the two always pulled off extraordinary ambushes and recon missions. Since the transfer, they didn't have many chances to hang out anymore. The new set of transfer orders, however, gave them a reason to talk, and they decided to do it over a game of chess.

"At least we're in the same unit again," 134 began.

"True. I guess we now know why 452 was put in Class Alpha."

"How did she do anyway?"

729 shrugged. "She was a bit rusty, but she caught on pretty quick. I wouldn't mess with her."

"Check," 134 said as he moved his piece. "She lacks eleven years of training. She can't possibly be that good."

"Check," 729 warned as she moved her rook to save her king. "You'll have to see for yourself. I know it sounds hard to believe, but she fights like no one I've seen. The only person matching her is 494, and he's already one of our best fighters."

"All that in four weeks?" 134 asked in disbelief. He moved another piece to eliminate the rook. "Checkmate."

"All in four weeks," 729 reaffirmed. "Good game."

"You too." 134 got up to leave. "Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see for myself. I still don't think we should be listening to a traitor. I don't care how good she is."

729 shrugged. "It's your choice, 134, but don't say I didn't warn you."

**Gym Weight Room, Manticore**

157 was on his last few sets when 863 walked in. They had been in the same unit their whole lives, so they knew each other, but 863 wasn't the friendliest person. 157 usually felt safer leaving her alone. Then again, he left everyone in Unit 3 alone. His world revolved around technology. He loved writing programs, hacking, and encrypting. As far as he was concerned, he was one of the best hackers Manticore had, but it didn't matter for much. Most of the X5s could hack anything in this post-pulse era. Very few companies could afford anything considered a challenge. His advanced skills were rarely needed. He had been called on several occasions to help Manticore technicians write some programs to protect their hardware, but it wasn't that frequent. Whenever that happened, however, he would miss training with his unit. The missing exercises didn't help him improve his camaraderie with his unit mates, and if he was behind enough, he would be put in Class Charlie for a short stint until he was caught up.

This kept from making too many friends in Unit 3, but he had some acquaintances. 157 was surprised, however, when 863 engaged him in a conversation. She was not even close to being an acquaintance.

"So we're going to Unit 9," 863 began.

157 nodded in acknowledgment of her arrival. "So it seems."

"Looking forward to it?" she asked.

157 shrugged. "Doesn't matter too much to me. I never really was part of Unit 3, it seemed. Manticore was always so worried about someone hacking our systems."

"What about 452?" 863 inquired, establishing a topic for conversation.

"If I'm lucky, I won't have to deal with the traitor. The tech people will pull me out soon enough. Rumor has it another project is coming up."

"Glad we're on the same side," 863 said as she walked away.

157 watched her leave, wondering if 863 was plotting something against 452. He wouldn't be surprised. Of course, he suspected that she wouldn't be the only one. Everyone in Unit 9 had a reason to ignore the deserter. He would go with the crowd to play it safe tomorrow. Something had to be brewing.

**Barracks, Manticore**

X5-536 headed back to barracks to inform 494 of his transfer orders a few minutes before lights out. He was not particularly happy about leaving the group, but they would not miss him, and he wouldn't entirely miss them. He had had his fair share of arguments with several of the members, and that had kept him from making too many friendships with those in Unit 6. Still, he didn't really think joining a new unit would solve his problem, especially under the leadership of 452.

He knew very little about 452, except that she had escaped back in 2009. She then had the nerve to blow up the DNA lab. Talk about a traitor. Why would he obey orders from a deserter? She probably doesn't even want to be at Manticore and would ditch them without a moments notice. He couldn't trust her.

Unlike most of the members of his unit, he had very little interest in 452 when she first arrived in Class Alpha. He didn't have too great of a relationship with 494, so he didn't bother to ask how their breeding program hour went. 536 just sat on the sidelines and watched as the other guys crowded around 494, trying to get the juicy details. 494 never revealed much though. If he knew 494 as well as he thought he did, then 494 was lying about anything he did with 452, and nothing was really happening. The other guys not lucky enough to be picked for the breeding program didn't seem to realize that. He shook his head in disgust. Why would they want to sleep with a traitor anyway? She would just contaminate them.

He wasn't naïve though, and recognized that 452 had potential. Despite her lack of training, she did quite well in Class Alpha. She had even assisted Unit 4 in several of their rare victories, much to the disappointment of Unit 6. Of course, it seemed Unit 4 was oblivious to her contribution, but he could tell from the way the trainers would watch her that they knew. When she was given leadership and 536 was assigned under her command a few days ago for a field training exercise, he had followed her orders, agreeing with her decisions. Still, if Manticore could put 452 in a position of leadership, what would they do next? He expected more from Command.

536 knocked lightly on 494's door when he arrived.

"Come in," Alec replied.

536 entered.

"536...what brings you here?"

"I received transfer orders earlier today, effective tonight at 2300, 494. I'm joining Unit 9."

"Unit 9 doesn't exist."

"It does now. You won't believe who they put in charge."

Alec sighed. "Don't tell me 452," he guessed.

536 looked at 494 in surprise. "You know?"

"You just told me," Alec replied, keeping his own face from showing his surprise.

"How did you know?" 536 asked suspiciously.

"452 was reading some textbooks from a course only commanding officers have to take," he explained. "I don't even think she knew she was headed in that direction."

536 never thought he would ask 494 for his opinion of anything, but it slipped out before he could stop himself. "What do you think of 452?"

Alec looked at 536 now, wondering why he had asked him that. "What do you think of 452?" he returned.

536 didn't think it was fair that he avoided the question, but he was still his commanding officer for the next few hours, so he answered, "She's a traitor."

Alec said nothing to that. After all the time he had spent with Max, he didn't really see her as a traitor, or any of the other garbage Manticore had programmed them to believe. She was someone who wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted, at all costs. That took a hella lot of courage. He couldn't say that for many people here at Manticore, not even himself.

"What else?" Alec asked. Alec never spoke much to 536. 536 never made an attempt to talk to him. He never got into arguments with 536, so he had nothing against him personally, but he always ended up breaking up fights 536 got into with 343, 561, and 934, which was a hassle.

536 shrugged. "I don't know. That's why I'm asking you. You've spent more time with her."

Alec sighed. Surely 536 wasn't asking about what happened between them during their time together, was he? Of all the guys in Unit 6, he would not have expected this from him.

536 realized he wasn't too clear, so he clarified before 494 was given a chance to say anything. "I mean, just in terms of who she is...as a soldier...and leader."

Alec thought a bit before he replied, "Weren't you put on her team a few days ago during weapons training?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, shouldn't that be your answer then?"

"It was a short period of time. She's supposed to be my CO until she runs again. I need to know if I can trust her judgment."

"Did you trust her judgment when she led you on the exercise?"

536 was silent for a moment, thinking, before he answered, "Yes."

"Then what makes you think you can't trust her judgment later?"

"She's a traitor," 536 said simply.

Alec had no idea why he was defending Max, but he felt that it was his job as CO of Unit 6 to send her an informed soldier. "Traitor or not, I don't believe 452 will carelessly put you in harm's way." As he said that, Alec realized what Renfro's intentions were. Oh damn...Max must be pissed, he thought to himself. "You've worked along side her in class and you know what she is capable of, 536. You have that advantage over other X5s being transferred to her unit. I would advise you give her a chance. She will probably expect that everyone hates her. How do you suppose she'll enforce orders then?" Alec asked, thinking back to the assignment she had been reading about Machiavelli's philosophy.

536 shrugged. "She can't be that bad, can she?"

"She managed to keep everyone away, didn't she?"

"I thought we left her alone because she as a '09er."

Alec shook his head. "Everyone left her alone because she pushed them away. Come on, you really thought her work would go unnoticed? I saw 319 walk up to 452 during her second day of class, attempting to compliment her on her sparring. 452 brushed her off." Alec sighed, debating whether or not to tell 536. Would he understand? Well, he came this far to ask him about her. He might as well. "536, there are some things you may not understand about 452, but she did isolate herself on purpose. I think she was planning on leaving Manticore, which is why she did it. She didn't want anyone to hold her back. She didn't want to have feel responsible for anything that happened once she took off."

"You're telling me my CO is going to run?"

Alec shook his head. "Not anymore. Don't you see, by giving her a unit, she is responsible for all of you. If she runs, then you guys will suffer." Alec then grinned and joked, "Hell, knowing Manticore, if something goes wrong, they'll punish you all to punish her."

536 forced a laugh, "That's not that funny."

Alec then thought about it and shrugged. "I guess Manticore really would do that."

"She doesn't give a shit about us. She's not going to care if we suffer."

"Maybe if you give her a reason to care, she won't run," he answered simply with a wink. Alec knew it was more complicated than that though. The rumors he heard about the '09ers from the guards told how they were a family. They looked after one another and cared for one another more than Manticore realized, and so when one of their own started suffering, they fled to make sure she would be safe from Manticore. That one soldier they saved had been 452. She would probably do anything for her unit members. Even 599's sacrifice for 452 spoke a thousand words. If she came to take her post as CO seriously, then she would stay and watch after her unit. She would not leave unless she could orchestrate an escape as her CO, 599, had done in the winter of 2009. Renfro must have known that. Now it all made sense... And he thought the Director was just a typical dumb blonde.

536 sighed. "That's just great. I'm stuck with a traitor for a CO, who's not going to give a shit about how we do, and she wants to run away. To top it off, Manticore will punish us when she finally runs, and for everything else she does wrong. 494, I never thought I'd say this, but I think I will miss Unit 6."

Alec grinned as he shook 536's extended hand. "You were a good soldier, 536. You'll be fine. It'll be rough the first couple of weeks, but give 452 a chance, as a favor to your former CO."

536 grinned back, but made no promises as he gave a final salute and headed to his new cell.

Alec wondered where Max had been relocated to. Renfro had said she would move Max to a new location so that escape wouldn't be an issue anymore. He kind of missed hanging out with her during the night hours. None of the other girls had such a short fuse, nor were they as animated as Max. There was life in her, perhaps from the years spent outside, but that's what made her so different than the rest.

After lights out, he left his cell to take a walk to see if he would be able to find his way to her place. It was convenient being CO at times, as well as having a friendly relation with the guards. They wouldn't bother him.

He saw Victor down the hall so he went to say hello.

"Vic! How are things, buddy?"

"Good, 494. I got the cigars. Thanks. Before I forget, here's your payment."

Alec discreetly pocketed the money. "Anytime. If you need anything else the next time I'm overseas, just let me know. Listen, I was kind of wondering if you might know where 452 was moved to."

"Yeah, she got switched over to 421. You know where that is, right?"

"Yeah, thanks buddy."

Vic watched as 494 left. Weren't they breeding partners? he wondered.

Alec managed to find a guard to unlock the cell, allowing him to slip in. Max was lying in her cot, facing the wall. She didn't even bother to look up to see who it was, or maybe she was too lost in her thoughts to hear him come in.

Alec walked over to her side and laid a hand gently on her shoulder. He could see now why she hadn't bothered to acknowledge his presence. She was crying.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope the fact that this chapter barely had any Max/Alec interaction didn't bother anyone too much...I had to introduce the characters of Unit 9, and the best way of doing that, I thought, would be to dedicate a chapter to them. Admittedly, there is one character I left out - X5-645, and I did it intentionally, as her story is revealed later on. Still, I'm not sure how well this chapter did in helping anyone _remember_ the characters, given they're all just numbers, but hopefully it did /something/. Lemme know? I'll post a short list for you all to look over so that all the information is in one place. Maybe that'll help some in the future as well. 

Also, I know Max isn't the weepy type, but I felt this was big - seeing her last ounce of hope crushed. Surely it doens't hurt to shed a few tears? Comments/criticism welcomed.

Well, last chapter's review response was great! Keep it up! I also have a few new readers as of last chapter. Welcome aboard; I'm glad you're interested in my fic! Also, if any review responses don't seem to relate to what you wrote, please let me know. I'm trying something new - the last time I wrote replies before posting the new chapter, it took me practically an hour before I finished replying, so I've been writing the replies in advance, copying and pasting to return replies instead before I update. It's possible I might accidentally paste someone else's reply...so please let me know if that happens and I'll be sure to PM you with the reply meant for you!

Not sure if many of you have noticed, but the site has been acting a bit weird lately. Occasionally I see outdated 'updates' being displayed on the DA section, strange as it is. Not sure what's up with that. Hopefully it's fixed soon. Anyway, thanks for reading, and it'd be lovely if you could push the review button and submit a review! -grins-

X5 Character Transfers

Unit 1 : X5-134 : specialties include tracking, navigation, and communications

Unit 3 : X5-157 : specialties include encryption, computer/software programming, hacking, coding, hardware, engineering

Unit 3 : X5-863 : specialties include weapons (particularly guns), general combat, tracking

Unit 4 : X5-729 : specialties include stealth, recon, combat; former Class Alpha member

Unit 5 : X5-645 : specialties include stealth, recon, tactical analysis

Unit 6 : X5-536 : specialties include combat, weapons, stealth & recon; former Class Alpha member

Unit 7 : X5-428 : specialties include aquatics (highest scores), engineering, underwater demolitions, field med

Unit 8 : X5-261 : specialties include field med, communications, general technology

Unit 8 : X5-409 : specialties include demolitions, combat, vehicles

Unit 8 : X5-321 : specialties include stealth, recon, sniping (perfect marksmanship score), pranks

Replies to anonymous reviewers:

**random person**: Reviews definitely motivate me to update. :) Hope you like the new chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

**opalshine**: heh, hope you like the new update. again, don't die! ;) Thanks for reviewing!

**Kayla**: Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I can see how it's upsetting that Alec tells Renfro nearly everything, so I'll explain my reasoning behind it. While Manticore still exists, he's still loyal to Manticore; to hide information from Renfro would be considered betrayal, and to some extent, he probably fears returning to psy-ops. Of course, he didn't exactly tell everything, but I think the facts he withheld would not be as suspicious when compared to other facts he might have withhled. Perhaps Max will eventually be able to change that loyalty...


	8. CO, CharList

**A/N: **I'm posting the character profiles after this note and going with Ty3's suggestion of adding character descriptions. Hopefully it will help some of you remember the characters better. It's mostly meant as a reference for the next few chapters until they get names. I've added a (CL) to the chapter title to indicate the character list is posted in this chapter, in case anyone wishes to go back to this chapter to refer to their profiles.

* * *

**Profiles: Unit 9**

Series: X5

Designation: 134

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 1

Specialties: tracking, navigation, and communications

Known Acquaintances: 729

Physical Characteristics: Blue eyes, blond hair, light weight with toned muscles, peachy complexion

---

Series: X5

Designation: 157

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 3

Specialties: encryption, computer/software programming, hacking, coding, hardware, engineering

Known Acquaintances: 863

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, brown hair, medium build, tanned complexion

---

Series: X5

Designation: X5-863

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 3

Specialties: weapons (particularly guns), general combat, tracking

Known Acquaintances: 428 (after 428 rescued her during a mission), 321, 261, 409, 157

Physical Characteristics: Blue eyes, black hair, light build, peachy complexion

---

Series: X5

Designation: 729

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 1 (2015), Unit 4 (2015-present)

Specialties: stealth, recon, combat

Known Acquaintances: 134, 536 (former Class Alpha Member)

Physical Characteristics: Brown eyes, brown hair, light build, lightly tanned complexion

---

Series: X5

Designation: 645

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 5

Specialties: stealth, recon, tactical analysis

Known Acquaintances: none

Physical Characteristics: Dark brown eyes, black hair, average build, light complexion

---

Series: X5

Designation: 536

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 6

Specialties: combat, weapons, stealth & recon

Known Acquaintances: 729 (former Class Alpha member)

Physical Characteristics: Brown eyes, dirty blond hair, medium build, light complexion

---

Series: X5

Designation: 428

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 7

Specialties: aquatics (highest scores), engineering, underwater demolitions, field med

Known Acquaintances: 863 (after rescuing 863 on a mission)

Physical Characteristics: Hazel eyes, blond hair, light build, short-from-pale skin

---

Series: X5

Designation: 261

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 8

Specialties: field med, communications, general technology

Known Acquaintances: 409, 321, 863

Physical Characteristics: Dark brown eyes, black hair, medium build, dark complexion

---

Series: X5

Designation: 321

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 8

Specialties: stealth, recon, sniping (perfect marksmanship score)

Known Acquaintances: 261, 409, 863 (known to pull pranks on 863 to win her heart)

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, black hair, light weight, tanned complexion

Other: Sent to solitary numerous times for pulling pranks on Manticore personnel as well as fellow soldiers

---

Series: X5

Designation: 409

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 8

Specialties: demolitions, combat, vehicles

Known Acquaintances: 261, 321, 863

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, brown hair, medium build with well-toned muscles, light brown complexion

* * *

**Chapter 8: CO**

Alec walked over to her side and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. He could see now why she hadn't bothered to acknowledge his presence. She was crying.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, trying her best to sound annoyed. She wiped away her silent tears before turning slightly to face him. "Renfro said the breeding program was over."

Why was he here? Alec wasn't even completely sure. One moment he had been talking to 536. The next moment he was wandering around the halls of Manticore. "I missed your late-night company," he said with a grin.

Max tried a smirk as she replied, "I don't miss yours."

"Ouch. Now that hurts. You've got to be nicer than that if you want people to follow your orders."

Max turned around completely to face him now. "Does everyone in the god damn facility know?" she asked bitterly.

Alec shook his head. "Not everyone, but 536 came to me to tell me he was being transferred to Unit 9. I told him not to give you a hard time; you can thank me later. Anyway, everyone knows Unit 9 doesn't exist, so I had a good guess who was leading it when I heard it was new."

Max sighed. "How?"

Alec grinned, "And you say I don't have brains."

Max punched him in the shoulder, but it barely had any strength in it. She was far to depress to really mean it. But that didn't stop Alec from pretending.

"OW! Just because you're a CO too now doesn't mean you can just go around punching me."

Max grinned slightly and sat up. Alec had already cheered her up by being here. "Spill then," she demanded, raising her fist to strengthen her demand.

Alec held his hands up in surrender. "Machiavelli and Hitler. That textbook you had – it's from a leadership course only commanding officers are given. I thought it might have been a fluke and didn't think much about it, but when 536 said he was being transferred, I knew it had to be you. Besides, once I realized Renfro's plan, it made perfect sense. I didn't think the woman had it in her."

"Looks like you have some brains after all," she mumbled.

Alec frowned. "I have plenty of brains."

"Sure. Maybe when you start to use them more, I'll start to believe it," Max quipped. She suddenly turned silent and sighed, pulling her knees to her chest in an attempt to comfort herself. "Alec, I can't do this."

Alec took a seat next to her. "Sure you can."

"No, I can't. I can't lead a unit. I'm not a leader."

"You're more of a leader than you realize, Max."

Max scoffed. "Since when did you think I could be a leader?"

Alec shrugged. "If you can kick ass, then what's to stop you from being a leader? Isn't that what Machiavelli suggests?"

Max rolled her eyes. "You know, people like Machiavelli have a lot of enemies."

"How's that different from your situation?"

Max glared at him, but he was right. She had isolated everyone for the past month, hoping to leave Manticore before forming any real attachments. Resultantly, everyone kept their distance. Being a traitor in their eyes made it even easier. "I can't do this," she simply repeated.

"It's not that hard. You just go and boss people around. You seem to have no problem doing that with me. Just do it for a few more people."

Max smiled slightly, but it quickly disappeared. "It's not _really_ the leadership I'm worried about, Alec."

Alec wrapped an arm around her, unconsciously pulling her closer to him to comfort her. "I know," he said softly. "Renfro knew what she was doing. She had it planned all along."

Max looked at him, slightly surprised. Did he really understand what she was going through – that this change of events may very well keep her here in Manticore? Did he really know her that well?

Alec just smiled reassuringly, seeing the look of suspicion on her face, as well as surprise. "You know, Max, you underestimate me. I told you – once I figured out Renfro's plan, it made perfect sense. I _do_ see the whole picture, you know."

"Tell me something I don't know then," she said in disbelief.

"I'd rather you find them out on your own," he said with a wink. "You're kinda cute with that look on your face."

Max shoved him away, sending him tumbling to the ground. "Get out."

"Aww, come on Max. I'm just messing with you."

"How did you get in here anyway? Doesn't Manticore keep us locked down?"

Alec grinned. "Like I said, you underestimate me. I've got a few things going with the guards."

Max rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" She reclined on her cot and stared at the ceiling, hoping to just disappear. "I don't want tomorrow to come. I don't want to deal with this. When things go wrong, they're going to be punished," she rambled. Then it occurred to her that Alec was _really_ in her cell, possibly attempting to...comfort her? That couldn't be it, could it? She pushed the thought away. Why would he care for a traitor like her? "Why are you here again?" she asked him.

"Thought maybe you could use a few tips from Manticore's best CO," Alec replied with a confident grin.

Max's lips twitched. "What was that I said about you having a big ego?"

"But it's true. Unit 6 _is_ the best Manticore has."

"Really? If you ask me, Unit 4 and Unit 6 seem equally matched. There's been about an even number of wins and losses, with maybe Unit 6 holding one or two more wins, but that doesn't make Unit 6 Manticore's best."

Alec laughed. "You didn't look at the scoreboard _before_ you joined. We were kicking Unit 4's asses until you came along."

"Oh," Max couldn't help a small blush from appearing at the indirect compliment.

"Yeah...Unit 6 wasn't happy when you knocked me out that first day. We were inches away from victory."

Max smirked. "Well, you were going to take me out. I couldn't just let you walk away without some payback."

"Yeah, well, now that you're a CO, I'm not letting you get away that easily. It would not work well for my reputation."

Without really thinking about it, Max couldn't let the challenge slide by unnoticed, especially when it came from this egotistic asshole. "Well, maybe you'll want to kiss that reputation goodbye. I think Unit 9 is taking the lead," Max said with a sudden determination.

Alec frowned. "Are you challenging us?"

"Are you accepting the challenge?" Her eyes twinkled daringly.

Alec grinned, "You'll never beat us."

"Bring it on," Max dared. She was smiling now, finally accepting what had happened, and what she would have to do – beat Unit 6. Although she doubted she'd have any chance in doing so – he had plenty more experience than she – at least she had a goal now. At least she now had a reason for staying in Manticore.

"Well, I guess this means no tips for you," Alec said as he got up to leave.

Max shrugged. "I'll manage. Besides, your tips would be no match for what I've got in mind."

"Guess we'll see then," Alec said as he headed out the door. "Good luck, Max."

"I don't need it, but you will." She smirked before wishing, "Good luck Alec. I look forward to crushing you."

"You can try, but you won't succeed," Alec replied with a grin before leaving. He smiled to himself as he replayed their conversation. At least Max had come to terms with what happened, and would make the best of it. Unit 9 will start off rusty, since the members are coming from various units and barely know each other, but as soon as they learned to trust each other, that's when the challenge would really begin, and Alec would be ready. He knew Max would have no problem leading them. Every X5 had _some_ leadership potential. They were made that way. But Max, coming from the escaped series, living on her own, and gaining the independence she did – she was definitely a leader. It was just a matter of getting them to listen to her after Manticore had brainwashed them into believing the escapees were traitors.

Max knew she would not be able to leave Manticore now, but she vowed she would not give up on that goal. Manticore would not win. Renfro would not win. They will think they have won, but she knew better. Max was still just playing along, and when the right time came, she would once again be gone.

Another wave of sadness hit her as she recalled everyone whom she had left behind in her past life. The memories flooded back to her when someone had _jammed_ a weapon during one of the field exercises and made a fuss about it. Cindy, Normal, Sketchy, and everyone else from Jam Pony were unlocked, as were her times at Crash and anything else related to the Jam Pony crew. Yet she still couldn't remember the person she had considered her significant other. She knew it had to be because she was desperately trying to protect him. Otherwise she wouldn't have gone through such lengths to forget him. She had faith she would eventually remember who he was and why he had been so special. She had faith.

After her short journey through memory lane to remind her exactly who she was, Max spent the rest of the night figuring out exactly how she would deal with her new unit. The first matter she would have to deal with was their distrust. That would be the biggest obstacle. Max looked at Unit 9's schedule for the first time that night. After roll call on the training grounds at 0500, she would have access to the hand-to-hand combat training area until 0700. Since they were a new unit, they had free practice until noon for the first week, which would allow them to practice together doing whatever the CO decided as they learned each others' strengths and weaknesses. From 0700 to 0900, they had access to the gym and swimming pool. Between 0900 and 1100, they would have access to Field C, which held an obstacle course and forest grounds used in field training exercises.

After lunch, they would have the standard lecture courses. The following week, they would begin field training exercises with Class Delta, which was actually composed of X6 units. If things went well, they would move to Class Charlie until the Skills Assessment Period (SAP) came, where the units would compete against each other in various exercises to allow them a chance to move up and down the classes. That was only two months away, so Max didn't have too much time if she wanted to move her unit out of Class Charlie.

After she finished reading the schedule, she noticed a manila folder underneath. Inside were papers listing the standard responsibilities of being a CO. She skim read those and was surprised to find what awaited her next. A sticky note with cursive handwriting noted, "452, to even the odds, you might find these useful."

She took off the sticky note and smiled as she was looking at a detailed profile of X5-134, transferred from Unit 1 to Unit 9. Renfro had given her everything she would ever need to know about her unit, before she even met them, from their specialties to any infractions they committed. So Renfro wasn't giving her this assignment completely empty handed. Why? Max wondered.

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

Max didn't sleep that night as she continued reading through their profiles. By the time she had to leave for roll call, she could already predict who would give her trouble, and she knew exactly how to deal with it. The soldiers she had been given weren't necessarily bad soldiers, but they were not exactly the most favorable either. Most of them had few acquaintances in their former units and even fewer friends. They were the outcasts.

After roll call, she led Unit 9 over to the combat training area and instantly paired them up. Only three of them moved. She recognized the three to be 536, 729, and 645. 536 and 729 had been in Class Alpha with her; they seemed to hold some respect for her. 645 – Max didn't understand why 645 moved, but at least that was one less person to deal with. Everyone else refused to do anything. It was time to sort things out.

"Were my orders not clear enough?" she yelled, not the least bit perturbed by their inaction.

An X5 with black hair whom she recognized as 321 spoke up, "We're not taking orders from a traitor," he said defiantly.

Max smiled. "Suit yourself. When you all fail because you didn't listen, Manticore's going to be punishing you, not me."

The group that was ready to follow orders watched anxiously as 321 stood up to their CO. They too were not fond of the idea of being under 452, but they had their reasons for following orders.

"Guess you didn't read the CO handbook, 452. The CO is responsible for his or her unit – its successes as well as its failures. If the unit fails, the CO fails and is subsequently faced with the consequences of failure," 321 clarified.

Max knew he was right...under normal circumstances, but these were not normal circumstances. She shrugged. She wouldn't mind this guy getting put in solitary for acting out. Although from his profile, she knew he had already been in there more times than the average for pulling pranks on the Manticore personnel.

"How confident are you in what the Manticore handbook says?" she asked. "After all, they did put _me_ in charge. Ever think that maybe I can pull some strings?" Not that she would have to. Renfro had made it clear what would happen if she failed. The strings were already pulled.

321 scoffed. "You're bluffing. They wouldn't listen to an '09er," But even he was starting to doubt himself a little. "We've got eleven years of training on you. We could take you out easily. There's no way you could possibly know what we know in the time you've been back."

"You think knowledge and experience are the only things that make up a commanding officer, 321?"

321 was surprised. He didn't introduce himself. How would she know who he was? "How did you know my designation?" he asked, annoyed.

Max smiled, "There's a lot of things I know about you 321. Would you like me to start listing them or would you rather settle this on the mat? I know you're just dying to show off," she sneered. "I'll make you a deal. If you win, I'll go right to the Director and tell her I'm not capable of this position because 321 has proven himself to be more suitable."

321 glowered at her and stepped up to the mat. "I see a promotion coming up."

Max looked for an X5 to referee. "729, referee. 3 points."

"Yes, ma'am."

Max stepped up to the mat. 321 came charging right at her, clearly ready to aim a series of punches. Using a technique she had learned from 319 that first day, she easily caught the first punch he threw and tossed him over before he had a chance to throw a second punch.

"Point," 729 called out when the 321 landed with a loud thud.

321 kicked up in rage and blurred again, aiming a jump kick at her chest. Max rolled out of the way and swept him to the ground as soon as he landed. Another point was declared when he landed on the mat, not even aware of when or how he had lost his balance. 321 waited before attacking this time, seeing that every time he attacked first, 452 had the advantage.

Max grinned as she blurred. She feigned an attack, side stepping at the last minute to avoid his reach. With his back turned to her, she came up behind him and placed him in a choke hold. "Do you give up yet, soldier?"

321 answered by leaning forward to throw her over him. Max curled up into a roll and was back in a fighting stance when 321 blurred to send some more punches at her. Max met each of his punches with a block. When he slowed down to the right pace, she ducked and landed a punch to his stomach. The impact of it sent him back a few feet. Max then continued with a jump kick to his chest. 321 blocked just in the nick of time but was not ready for the punch to the face that came immediately after, sending him to the ground for a third time.

"Point," 729 announced. "End of match."

Two of 321's buddies came by and helped him off the mat. They were from the same unit as 321. "Anyone else think they can beat me?" she challenged.

She was met with silence. "Then pair up and free spar. I want to see how good you really are. I would be disappointed if 321 was your best fighter." She could see 321's glare out of the corner of her eye.

The unit broke up into pairs. 321 sat out, still a bit winded from the match, so Max paired up with the odd one out. They weren't all that bad, but she had seen better. Then again, she had been working with Class Alpha for the past month. When she finished giving pointers to 645, she moved on to watch the other pairs spar, leaving 645 to practice on her own techniques and forms.

When their allotted time on the mats had ended, Max had finished mentally documenting their strengths and weaknesses and given them pointers to improve. They would have to work hard if they were going to try for Class Alpha. Although they were not aware of her goal for them yet, she was certain they would agree to it.

There was still a wave of uneasiness throughout her unit; she could still feel it and see it in their eyes, but at least they were following orders. Now it was all up to her to determine which direction things would go.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

"Manticore is getting slack if they're giving leadership to a traitor," 321 grumbled after downing some applesauce. He was sitting with 261 and 409 for lunch before their lecture courses would begin. The three of them were the only ones in Unit 8 not in the infirmary or redeployed after a failed mission a few weeks before.

"You're just mad she kicked your ass," 409 teased.

321 squeezed the empty milk carton in his hand and crumbled it into a ball. "Shut up 409."

"Oh come on," 261 interrupted. "You have to admit, you didn't even score a point against 452. She's not bad for missing eleven years of training."

321 glared at 261. "You're warming up to a traitor already? Did Manticore teach you nothing?"

"Calm down 321. Remember, Manticore was the one that gave her that position," 409 reasoned.

"Yeah, well, maybe she can fight, but can she really lead?" 321 questioned.

261 and 409 had no answer for that.

"I don't want to get on her bad side," 261 admitted. "321, you fight better than me. I stand no chance against her."

"You don't have to be alone 261," 321 reminded. "There's ten of us and one of her."

"Yeah, but 3 of them were ready to follow her orders, remember?" 409 pointed out.

"That still leaves seven of us, and we can take out those three if we need to."

"Well, you can count 134 out. He's hanging out with those two from Class Alpha, 321," 261 observed.

"Don't you think if they had a reason to disobey her orders, they would have already? They're the ones who know what's going on," 409 observed. "They are at the top of the class, after all."

"Well, we thought Command was also smarter than putting an '09er in command, didn't we? If Command's going to start messing with things and Class Alpha isn't going to do anything about it, I say it's time we step up and do something about it."

261 and 409 exchanged uneasy glances. They had a bad feeling about this.

"Come on. Let's see what the others think," 321 said as he got up and moved to the other table where several other Unit 9 members were conversing.

157 and 863 were both from Unit 3, so they stuck together, although they didn't talk much. Due to 428 and 863's past mission, 428 hung around the two former Unit 3 members.

"321...what brings you here?" 863 asked, clearly remembering the prank he pulled and the revenge she vowed to take.

"I hope you're still not sore about what happened a few months back," 321 began. "I was just hoping for some more attention."

"321, if you're not here for something important, you'd better leave or we're both going to be in solitary for a fight you're going to lose."

"Calm down, 863. I was just wondering what you all thought of our new CO."

"Once a traitor, always a traitor," 863 answered.

"I was hoping you'd say that," 321 began. "We're not that fond of the snake ourselves. I was thinking we could show her how we crush rats."

"We'd be put in psy-ops for going against a CO," 428 pointed out.

"Don't forget what the Director said though. She told us specifically to show them what we thought of our CO," 321 reminded.

"Yeah, but even if we do her dirty work, she still might put us in psy-ops for doing that just to set an example," 863 argued.

"True...we'll have to be subtle about this," 321 realized. "How about we discuss this during dinner time?" he suggested, noticing it was almost time to leave.

In another area of the mess hall, 729, 134, and 536 had formed their own group. As former members of Class Alpha, 536 and 729 had practiced together on occasion. 134 was once in the same unit as 729 until 729 was transferred five years ago. They all had their doubts about 452, but they would wait to see how things went before acting. They could see that 321 was plotting something with the others though. He was always one for trouble.

Max watched from a distance as her unit had broken down into separate groups. She had dismissed them early so they could have a longer lunch break, informing them she had some other errands to run before classes began. She had done this on purpose, however, to see which groups would form. She wasn't surprised to see 321 with other members from Unit 8. She suspected that 536 would socialize with 729 since they were both in Class Alpha together, but she didn't know how the other X5s would regroup. She looked around the room for 645, not seeing her in any of the groups. She finally spotted her seated by herself away from the crowds.

Max knew very little about 645. Her record was free from infractions, except for a few from when she was really young, which involved talking back to the trainers. She had no known acquaintances. She was a complete loner. Her specialties were stealth, recon, and tactical analysis. Her profile indicated that her performance in all other subjects were above average; however, so she wasn't particularly bad at anything Manticore threw at her. She just wasn't excellent at it.

Max suddenly noticed 645 was looking at her, so she looked away. She was interrupted from her assessment of her unit when someone sat down next to her.

"Kick anyone's ass yet?" a cheerful Alec asked.

Max smirked, "He was asking for it."

Alec grinned, "See? It's not that bad. You get to kick ass and boss people around. Kinda fun, isn't it?" As if to prove his point, Alec called out to someone in his unit. "Hey 511, can you give me some napkins?"

511, a table away, raised his eyebrow at his CO's request, especially when he saw him with 452. 494 never did something like that. He was 494's second though, so he just grinned as he crumbled the napkin into a ball and threw it right at 494, hitting him squarely in the head.

Alec frowned as Max laughed.

"Looks like I'll have to kick some ass again," Alec muttered.

"Well, he did give you napkins," Max reasoned. "So technically he followed your orders."

"Who's side are you on anyway?" Alec asked.

"Just trying to be fair."

"Speaking of fairness, how are they treating you?"

Max shrugged. "It's just the first day, so it's hard to tell. They're following orders, but I did have to do a bit of ass kicking beforehand."

"Who was the victim?"

"321. He's probably bad mouthing me now with his other Unit 8 buddies, if not plotting revenge. Hmm...he just went to join the another group. I hope they're not plotting something," she observed with a frown.

"321, he's a cocky one." Alec laughed as he began telling a story, "Every time there's a prank and the culprit can't be found, he's in solitary the next day because someone overheard him bragging about it."

Max laughed. "Well, I guess I should watch out for any pranks he might pull. I have a feeling he won't let it go so easily."

"Prank him before he pranks you," Alec suggested.

Max smiled, "I'll do that."

A bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to put 511 in his place," he grinned, referring to the hand-to-hand combat course next.

"I'm off to hear them babble about military theory."

The two separated ways. Max went to join her unit as they headed to the appropriate lecture hall, while Alec headed outdoors to the training field.

"Something going on between you two?" 511 asked, approaching Alec from behind.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked.

"I mean, you and 452 have been spending a lot of time together, and 452 doesn't talk to anyone, except apparently you."

Alec shrugged. "We're...friends, I guess."

"Just friends?" 511 asked in disbelief. "Everyone in Unit 4 and Unit 6 know you two were paired off as breeding partners. Everyone also knows _you_ were the only one with enough guts to approach her while she was being a bitch to everyone else. Then there were the times you two occasionally shared lunch together, like today. They're starting to talk, 494."

Alec sighed. "They're nothing going on. We never did anything."

511 was surprised. "But you reported..."

"I know what I reported, OK? But really, nothing happened. We just talked. This stays between you and me, by the way."

511 grinned, "You really _do_ like her."

"What?" Alec asked, confused.

"That's why nothing happened. You don't want to ruin your chances with her."

"That's not it," Alec immediately defended. "It's complicated." He didn't want to tell him about his mission from Renfro, though.

"Sure..." 511 replied, still grinning. "Well, if that's really the case, you might want to tell her before she finds out from a third party."

"Hmm...yeah...I'll let her know."

"By the way, where has she been? Was she transferred to another class? I haven't seen her around the whole morning. Come to think of it, 729 and 536 were missing as well."

"She was transferred to a new unit," Alec informed.

"Who's?"

"Her own."

"What?!" 511 did not understand.

"She's commanding Unit 9."

"Unit 9 doesn't exist."

"It does now. 536 and 729 were transferred to Unit 9 as well. My guess is that they took one or two soldiers from each unit and put them together to form Unit 9."

"Considering I didn't know, how many people _do_ know?"

Alec shrugged. "Pretty soon, all of Manticore will know. I found out when 536 came to inform me of his transfer orders. I'm guessing the other COs found out in a similar manner. It won't be long before word spreads. Unit 9 will also probably join one of the classes soon, once they prove they can work as a unit."

"Exactly when did you plan on telling _us_ about Unit 9 and 536's transfer orders?"

"When someone asked, like you just did now."

They arrived outside to the training grounds and fell in line for class.

"Well, you just told me. I'm sure everyone else will want to know."

"Umm...yeah, after class," Alec replied, nonchalantly. He had other things on his mind.

* * *

**A/N**: Well, I hope you liked this chapter, and that Max's short moment of weakness was concluded adequately enough...The last chapter was actually written after this chapter was written. I thought it would be a good idea to give the characters a better introduction than the one I did, so I wrote it as an add-on. I don't really have much else to comment on in this chapter though, but I'd love to hear what you all think! 

The next three chapters will be uploaded roughly 6-7 days apart because I'll be leaving for another country in a few weeks (studying abroad) and won't be able to update until I settle down (and I'm not sure how long that will take). There's also some things that happen in a certain chapter that I would like to get up before I leave. Also, once school starts, I'll be spacing out my updates more due to time constraints. Just a heads up.

Also, if anyone's interested, I made a Manticore wallpaper. Links can be found on my profile since I can't seem to post it here. Comments/Criticism appreciated for that as well...

Thanks for reading and please review!

For my anonmyous reviewers:

**Kayla**: I'm glad you liked the chapter about the other characters! I was afraid it would might be a slow read for most people. I'm glad that wasn't the case for you! I'm flattered to hear I'm becoming one of your favorite authors. :-) Thanks for reading and reviewing; I hope you enjoyed this new chapter!

**random person**: I hope it hasn't been too boring. ;) Glad you liked the ending with Max. I hope its conclusion meets your expectations! Thanks for reading and reviewing; I hope you enjoyed this new chapter.


	9. While at Manticore

**Chapter 9: While At Manticore**

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

The following day, after roll call, Max attempted to sort them into two groups of five to begin their sparring lessons for the day. Only four of them moved – an improvement from yesterday morning. Max sighed inwardly, knowing they had concocted another plan, with 321 behind it, no doubt.

"What's the matter? Have too much wax in your ears? LET'S MOVE!!!"

Those ready to start the day's exercise watched in anticipation as Max attempted to control the rebels. When they still didn't move, Max spoke, "I hope you thought out your plan carefully this time, 321. Don't expect me to let you off so easily this time."

321 snickered. "You know, 452, you talk big, but you've got yourself outnumbered right now."

"What, you need _five_ other people to take me out? Is that your _big_ plan?" she asked with a laugh. She was also laughing at the irony of the situation. She had initially sorted them into two groups to practice defending themselves against multiple attackers. Well, at least there would be one hell of a demonstration.

261 still couldn't believe she had agreed to take part in this. She was never really one for unfairness, but 321 had somehow managed to talk them all into it. He had been so determined to see 452 taken down that he agreed to accept full responsibility for whatever would happen during the fight. When it came time to report, 321 would admit that he got into a fight with 452, but no one else was involved. Injuries sustained by the other transgenics were a result of trying to end the fight. Everyone else would deny their participation as well. They were risking the fact that the four others not part of the plan would report the truth, but in the end, there would be more lies than truths. There was also a high probability that they too were against the traitor – just too afraid to act on it. 321 reminded them that since Renfro was on their side, their plan would certainly succeed. If they could damage 452 enough to put her out of active duty, they would be reassigned back to their units – or a more suitable CO would be found to replace her.

Within seconds, the six surrounded her, forming a circle to prevent escape.

"I hope you all have one hell of an excuse when I kick your sorry behinds," she declared as she fell in to a fighting stance.

321 was the first to charge at her. Max felt two X5s grab her from behind to stop her from getting away. Knowing 261 was the weaker of the two, she stepped on 261's foot, hard. It was just enough to make her loosen her grip on her arm, but not enough to let go. Within those few seconds Max had before 261 regained balance, Max used all her strength to move 261 in front of her so that she would take the blow from 321.

321 slammed right into 261, as it was too late to stop himself. As the two fell to the floor, Max dealt with 157, who was still holding on to her other arm and about to move Max into a lock to throw her down. From the corner of her eye, she could see 409 approaching to take 261's place. Max quickly twisted out of 157's grip by putting him in an arm lock before he could do so to her. She dislocated his shoulder to immobilize him from this fight, but not to disable him from near future exercises. She had no intention of losing this battle. 409 blurred as soon as 157 was down.

Max used the momentum of his speed to send him flying off the mat when he approached her with a flurry of punches. All she had to do was time it correctly. They still didn't learn that the enemy could use the force exerted against you. It was a very basic principle found in martial arts such as tai chi and aikido.

By the time 409 was out of her way, she had to deal with 863 and 428, who were already approaching her. She could also see that 261 and 321 were recovering. She blurred to attack 428 before she would have a chance to initiate an attack. 863 had to move quickly to avoid getting knocked over by 428, who suddenly found herself being thrown off the mat just as 409 had been. 863 jumped over Max and aimed an attack at the back of her head, but Max ducked just in time, catching 863's fist as she punched air and flipping her onto her back. "You'll have to do better than that, soldier," she reprimanded before dislocating her arm as well to take her out of the match. Two down, four two go.

261 hesitated before blurring yet again to attack Max. 321 was ahead of her though, having not taken the few extra seconds to rethink the ordeal. Max blurred to meet 321, blocking his punches and kicks with ease. She would remind herself to make them work on improving the speed of their attacks. When she got bored and noticed 261 was getting closer, she caught one of 321's punches and used her other hand to throw an uppercut, sending him flying once again into 261.

409 appeared from behind and sent a kick to her back, sending her to the ground. She quickly rolled to avoid the axe kick that landed inches from her head and swept 409 down to the floor beside her. Before he could do anything, she had him in a lock, "Do you give up soldier? Or should I make you?" she threatened, applying pressure into his arm.

409 tapped the mat as they had been trained to do if any exercise brought them too much pain. If she bent his arm any more, he knew it would break. "I give up!" he cried. He was not going to lose an arm for this.

"What was that?" Max asked, her tone clearly demanding some respect.

409 swallowed his pride and replied, "I give up, ma'am."

She got off him and prepared to meet 428's attack. "Go help the others fix their shoulders," she ordered. 409 quickly distanced himself from the fighting, sulking in defeat. 452 was a damn good fighter, he thought. They were going to be in so much trouble. 428 sidestepped so that she was behind Max and aimed a roundhouse kick at Max's head. Max ducked and turned her body to elbow the girl behind the knee, causing her to lose balance and fall on her butt. Before 428 had a chance to get up, Max had kicked her in the head, knocking her out. She could hear 321 approaching from behind her though and jumped just in time as he charged right past her and onto 428. Max saw 261 had given up on her own accord, as she made no motion to attack. 321 quickly rolled off of 428, attempting to sweep kick Max, but Max jumped away. 321 kicked up and charged at Max, throwing a series of punches right at her.

Max noticed the anger in 321 sped up his punches, allowing some of them to break through her blocks, so she quickened her blocks to meet his pace, ignoring the pain from the blows. She continued to block them until the right time came, where she then caught one of his fists and maneuvered herself to throw him onto the ground. As Max approached him to end this, he kicked her away, sending her several feet back and landing hard on the mat. Max rolled away just in time as he aimed a kick at where her head had been. She quickly attempted to sweep kick 321, but 321 jumped back, avoiding her attack. Max kicked up and caught his leg as he attempted to kick her in the side. She then threw him into the air, sending his body spinning several times before landing with a loud thud on the mat. It was the same move Alec had used that first day before the spar ended, knocking the wind out of Max that time. It would have the same effect on 321.

Max walked up to 321, clearly out of breath from the hard landing. "As I said earlier, 321, I hope you have a damn good excuse for this mess you just got your fellow unit members in. If you ever try something again, I'm coming for you personally, and you will be lucky if you get out in one piece. Is that understood?"

321 nodded numbly.

"I asked you a question, soldier!"

"Yes, ma'am..." he muttered.

Max walked away from 321 and examined the damage she had done. 409 and 261 were helping 157 and 863 put their arms back into the right place. 428 was still out cold, and 321 was lying on the mat defeated in humiliation and anger.

536 let out a whistle. "Damn...now that's what I call a _fight_."

"I have to admit – you don't see _that_ in Manticore everyday," 134 commented.

"And _that_ would be the reason why we didn't bother to find out what 321 was plotting," 729 declared. "We would have missed the show getting our asses kicked."

The other two nodded in agreement. "Well, that would be considering we would be dumb enough to follow him with his plan. 452 sure can fight..." 134 muttered.

The three turned their attention to their CO when they heard her yell, "ATTENTION!"

428 had finally come back to consciousness and joined the others as they limped over to form a line.

"Anyone care to tell me who's idea this was, just so I'm not making things up?"

The X5s all darted glances at 321, who guiltily spoke up, as promised. "Ma'am, it was my idea. I accept full responsibility for my actions. Leave them out of this, ma'am." For some reason, he was starting to think Renfro's punishment would be mild compared to what his CO had in mind. The flare in her eyes reflected exactly how angry she was right now.

"Spoken like a true matyr," she said in disgust. "Now I know you all think I'm a traitor, a deserter, a rat, and everything else Manticore programmed you to think about the escapees, but I'm also your CO. So let's get this straight. While you're still going to stay in Manticore and be good little Manticore soldiers, then you're going to listen to your CO like all good little Manticore soldiers do. If you don't want to be a good little Manticore soldier, then run. That's exactly what I did, and I don't regret it. I ran because I didn't like being here, and I still don't like being here. But I'm here anyway because they won't let me leave. Instead, they think it's a good idea that I stay here and help them train and lead a bunch of disobedient, ungrateful, soldiers. What do I have to say to that? Well, at first, I said to hell with them. I don't care about a bunch of misfits. Why should I? They wouldn't give a shit about me, and it's true, isn't it? You've proven that to me today. But then I thought, maybe that's what Manticore expects. I mean, they stacked the odds against me, giving me soldiers that didn't completely form strong bonds with their unit like their peers had done. They gave me soldiers who recently got back from a failed mission. They gave me anyone who they could afford to _spare_. They didn't want me to succeed."

Max surveyed the soldiers before her, who all had their Manticore mask intact, but she could feel the guilt in the air as she continued her speech. "Now you all probably still hate me, especially after things didn't turn out the way you wanted it to, but while _I'm_ still in Manticore, _I'm_ going to be a good little soldier and follow Command's orders to be the CO of Unit 9. I'm also going to prove them wrong in thinking Unit 9 will become nothing more than an extra unit to keep 452 from escaping. I'm going to prove to them that Unit 9 can become just as good as any of the other units. Now if anyone wants to back out, then I dare you to make your escape. Just make sure your plan is well thought out and not as embarrassing as 321's was. You'll disgrace your unit." She paused to allow the impact of her words to take effect. "Any takers? I'll let you sit out of training just to figure out an escape plan," she bargained. "And of course, I won't report you. You'll need all the help you can get."

No one spoke up.

"Now that we've all decided to be good Manticore soldiers, let's get down to work. I was going to show you all how to effectively defend yourselves from multiple attackers, but I think we'll skip that lesson today. But from what I've seen today, the majority of you need it. Maybe I'll get around to it when I can trust that you won't be using it against me. Split up into three groups."

"Yes ma'am!" they all shouted before dispersing into three groups.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

"Ma'am, you'll want to see this," a TAC Leader said as he arrived in Renfro's office.

Renfro followed the TAC Leader to a security monitor room. They replayed the video of Unit 9's fight. "The 6 X5s surrounded 452 with the intention of attacking her. Judging from the expressions on the X5s, it was not an exercise proposed by 452. Should we bring them in for evaluation?"

Renfro continued watching the video as 452 took them down one after another. She shook her head. "That won't be necessary. Tell me...do the X5s practice exercises against multiple attackers often?"

The TAC Leader shook his head. "We don't emphasize that during classes since most of the missions the X5s are deployed on require stealth. They are generally not faced with large resistance. Most of the X5s are also capable of moving quickly enough so that it won't seem like he or she is attacking more than one enemy at a time when faced with ordinary humans. It also makes it easier for us to recapture them if they were ever to escape. Lydeceker always used an overwhelmingly large force when attempting to bring in the escapees. It created confusion."

That certainly explained why 452 had been so good at fending them all off. She had practice from eluding Manticore troops for eleven years, starting at the age of nine. It wouldn't be a surprise if she was also ambushed by drunks looking for young girls late at night. She had plenty of practice. As she saw more of 452, the Director couldn't help but be impressed. She was certain after that display, 452 would have no problems with Unit 9.

The Director had chosen to give 452 the profiles of her unit members at the last minute, thinking if 452 would take her job seriously, she would need it. It would give her an advantage most COs were not given, but she wasn't exactly just any CO. She was seen as a traitor. Although Renfro didn't want 452 to succeed too easily, she wasn't go to stack things entirely against her so that she would lose miserably. She intended on giving 452 a fighting chance to keep her on her toes. 452 would want a challenge she could accomplish – not one that was impossible. If she had a difficult, but doable challenge, she wouldn't think of escaping. Renfro smiled as she watched the transgenics line up in, their faces hiding the guilt they felt as they received a tongue-lashing from their CO. 452 was doing things according to plan, if not more.

**Gymnasium, Manticore**

Max worked them hard after her speech, intending on punishing those who acted out that day. Most of them were already bruised and tired from fighting, so the exercises she piled up were painful. She made sure to pick on anyone who started lagging behind. She couldn't help but pick on 321 more than necessary – she found it helped her release her anger. For the four that didn't participate, it was merely a good workout. Max allowed them free play in the gymnasium afterwards. It would give her a chance to observe the developing friendships and find out what they enjoyed doing outside of training. It would also give them a chance to reflect on what happened and what she said. She hoped this would be the end of it. So far, there hadn't been anymore indications of upcoming challenges, but the atmosphere had changed little. She could still feel the tension towards her. She knew the only way things would start to change was if she proved to them that she could indeed lead them and not kick them around.

The members of Unit 8 had formed a basketball team to go against the two members from Unit 3 and 428, who was from Unit 7. Apparently sometime later in their training, Manticore thought it was important for them to learn the rules of traditional American sports in case they were ever invited to play on a mission.

536 was chatting with 729 and 134 in the weight room. 645 was no where to be seen. Max sighed and went to go look for 645. 645 certainly knew how to disappear.

**Gym Weight Room, Manticore**

"So, what do you all think of 452 so far?" 134 asked as he made his way through a second set of repetitions with some free weights.

536 shrugged. "494 told me to give her a chance. After the display 321 put up, I think she deserves one. It's not like she asked for this job, and us giving her a hard time isn't going to help."

"That's true...now I see what you mean, 729," 134 stated. "She fights like no one I've seen before. Was she always so...scary?"

"Well, she wouldn't let anyone get close to her. She always pushed people away. I thought she was rather bitchy, if you ask me. Some of the moves she uses aren't exactly conventional in Manticore though. She probably picked them up outside," 729 stated.

536 nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she's got some mean tactics, but when I was under her during a training exercise last week, which I now realize was just to prepare her for this, she took things seriously. She tried to minimize casualties and risks, while keeping us away from her. She knows we don't trust her, and I'm guessing she doesn't exactly trust us either."

"Well, at least she can lead," 134 thought.

"What doesn't make sense is why they would give her such a honored position," 729 said. "I mean, they risk upsetting the respect we have for Command."

"They risked a lot of things when they put her in command," 134 pointed out.

It was 536 who had the answer, since he had discussed 452 with his former CO. "452 was outside a long time. She admitted she doesn't want to be here. Command must have figured that the only way to keep her here was to give her a heavy responsibility that she couldn't just run from."

"Us." 729 nodded in understanding.

"But that's assuming she cares about us," 134 pointed out.

"Funny, I said the same thing to 494. He suggested we give her something to care about," 536 said. "452's not a bad soldier, though. She learned quickly when she was with Class Alpha. I don't think Command would have put her in this position if they didn't think she could carry it out adequately, since that would truly mess things up. It was just a matter of making her take it seriously."

"So then the question is – does she take it seriously?" 134 asked.

"I think she does," 729 inputted. "321 might have indirectly provided the catalyst for that, and she clearly knows more about us than she lets on. If she wasn't taking this seriously, she wouldn't care about who we were."

"That's true..." 134 admitted.

"Traitor or not, I say we give her a chance," 536 suggested to conclude their conversation about their CO.

"I agree," 729 stated.

The two turned to look at 134, who nodded reluctantly. "I trust your opinions," 134 added.

"So...who do you think is going to win the match?" 729 asked, turning her attention to the match on the other side of the glass window separating the weight room from the basketball court.

**Gym Climbing Wall, Manticore**

Max finally tracked 645 to the climbing wall on the other side of the gym complex. It was hard to see her at first, but she was lying down at the top of the wall, which was directly under a domed window. Max quickly made her way up the wall and sat down beside her. 645 did not bother to acknowledge her presence.

"You always alone?" Max asked, as she took a seat beside her to watch the clouds moving overhead.

"What's it to you?" 645 asked quietly.

"Manticore's not a fun place to be when you're alone."

"It doesn't bother me," 645 replied.

"I heard you were good at stealth and recon. Can't say I'm surprised – you disappeared rather quickly."

"Why are you here?" 645 asked, wishing it was once again silent.

"I was just wondering where you were."

"You found me." 645 observed. "I like to be alone," she stated, hoping her CO would take the hint.

But Max wouldn't leave.

"You know, when I first started training a month ago, I pushed away everyone who tried to talk to me. I wanted to be alone as well, so that when I ran, it would be easier to leave everyone else behind."

645 said nothing, but she was listening now to what Max had to say.

"I thought that if no one liked me, then no one would miss me; that if I didn't like anyone, I wouldn't miss anyone. I could just forget all the people I left behind to suffer. Manticore knew what I was doing though, so they signed me up for CO. They knew I wouldn't be able to just run out on you guys."

"You should leave before you get too attached then." 645 got up and began making her way down the climbing wall.

Max followed 645, trying to figure out if 645 was just saying it out of hatred for a traitor, or if there was another reason. "It's too late now. I can't get out of Manticore; my escape plan isn't quite accessible to me anymore, and by the time I do find a way out, I'll be in too deep." Max didn't know why she was admitting this to 645, but her intuition told her it was safe to do so.

645 still said nothing as she headed to another corner of the gym where there were punching bags. She started taping her hands before putting on the gloves.

"If you're up for a little sparring, I could practice with you," Max offered.

645 shook her head and starting punching the punching bag, adding in a few kicks now and then.

"Do you consider me a traitor?" Max finally asked.

"Manticore says you are." 645 replied, her voice void of emotion.

"I'm asking if _you _think I am one."

645 didn't respond again and continued practicing some more punches.

"I asked you a question, soldier," Max stated firmly, but gently at the same time.

645 stopped for a bit and turned to face Max.

"No, I don't. A deserter, but not a traitor," she finally answered as she went back to practicing with the punching bag.

Max sighed as she walked away to check on the others. She still didn't quite understand 645, but she didn't think she'd be getting anything more from her today.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

"Max."

Max glanced up into the face of her sister. "I thought it was clear that my designation is 452," she began cautiously, keeping her guard intact.

"Oh come on, Max. Can't things be like they once were?" Brin tried once again.

"Those times are long gone, 734."

Brin flinched as Max threw out her designation, and Max almost felt bad for doing it. As much as Max wanted her sister back, she still held some distrust. She knew one day, she'd be able to bring Brin back. She just wasn't sure now was the best time to try and change Brin. As far as she knew, Brin still belonged to Manticore, and that wasn't going to change overnight.

"I heard about your new status. I just wanted to congratulate you," Brin informed. "So...congratulations little sister. Zack would be proud." Brin smiled before turning to leave.

Max tried her best to keep her Manticore mask intact at the mention of Zack's name. Would he really be proud? She frowned at the question. On one hand, she was helping Manticore by taking command of a unit. On another hand, they thought she would be good enough to be a CO, or did they? They had meant this to be a trap. Whether or not she really was capable of being a CO wasn't a factor they had considered when they did this, was it? Max shoved the question away. Now was not the time to think about this. Max knew from Brin's sincerity that she was like any other soldier – she saw Max's CO status as a great honor, rather than the trap it was meant to be. The only difference with Brin was that she was family, and being family meant she could be proud of Max, even if she was a traitor.

Max forced a smile, "Thanks...Brin."

Brin stopped and turned around again, smiling when she heard Max acknowledge her name. "You'll do a great job."

Max shrugged as she took a seat down at an empty table. "If they don't kill me first," Max muttered. "No one likes a traitor." Max gestured for her to take a seat, if she wanted to.

Brin frowned and nodded in understanding. "The others weren't that different towards me when I first returned. I felt much better helping Command bringing everyone back home than being stuck in training with Unit 8," Brin admitted as she took a seat across from Max.

Max looked away as the memories of her encounters with Brin flooded back while she and Zack were helping Tinga. "They're killing us one by one, Brin. Renfro killed Tinga, Zack died for me, and Ben..." Max went silent as she remembered her brother. "Don't you see – they're the enemy. They only want to keep us in a cage and use us as a science experiment to do their bidding." Perhaps she was going to try and change Brin now after all.

Brin shook her head. "Command knows what's best for us. This is our home Max. Lydecker killed Tinga, not Renfro. He went rogue, which was why he was put under arrest."

Max shook her head, knowing it was another lie she had been told. "Do you honestly believe everything they say, Brin? Have you forgotten how to think for yourself?"

Brin frowned. "Our sole purpose is to follow orders, Max. Why would we need to think? Have you already forgotten our training? Besides, Director Renfro informed me Tinga was undergoing experimental treatment for a genetic anomaly when she was brought back. It was because of Lydecker's interference that she died."

Max sighed. "Brin, Tinga was already dead when Lydecker found her. I saw our sister with my own eyes. Lydecker had nothing to do with it. Unbelievable as it seems, he claims he would never do anything like that to us. You were lied to."

Brin looked away now, struggling with an inner debate on whether or not to accept this new information as truth.

"Brin, trust me on this. I won't forget what I saw. She murdered our sister." Max frowned to herself as she tried to recall other memories from that time period. She knew she blew up Manticore's DNA lab with the help of her siblings. She remembered how her siblings looked, but the actual event was still a blur. She knew Lydecker was there, but she still had trouble remembering the events leading up to their attack on Manticore. She would never forget Tinga, however, and how Lydecker had prematurely ended her mourning for her sister by capturing her.

Brin sighed as she turned her attention back to Max. "I'm sorry Max. I'm not sure I'm ready to believe that, but Max, no matter what, we'll always be family, right? We can trust each other?"

Max nodded numbly, but there was an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. She trusted Brin, but only to a certain extent. There was no denying that contrasting views would get in the way of Max's long term goal. She would have to keep trying to help Brin see things as they are, rather than whatever Manticore "taught" her to believe.

"Max, I thought I should let you know...600, technically my CO, even though I rarely train with my assigned unit, encouraged his soldiers transferred to your unit to raise hell."

Max chuckled knowingly. "I'm aware. Already dealt with it." Max grinned proudly as she gestured to her unit. It was clear some of them had sported some dark bruises from their...fight earlier, if you could really call it a fight. It was more like an ambush.

Brin smiled slightly, and for the first time since she sat down, she noticed the slight shade of bruises that were visible on her sister's skin from what had to be a hell of a fight.

"Zack would definitely be proud," Brin stated.

Max couldn't disagree this time. Max had shown these Manticore drones exactly how good this "traitor" was, and they would never forget it. Zack would be proud. "I don't think I'll be having any more problems, except from 321, possibly."

Brin grimaced and nodded in sympathy. "He's a jerk. You don't know how many times he's reminded me of being a rat and a traitor. He also plays far too many pranks for his own good. It's amazing they haven't sent him to psy-ops for reprogramming."

"Maybe it's in his genes," Max hypothesized.

"If that were true, then the scientist who created his DNA makeup probably isn't making anymore," Brin joked. But they both knew that would be true.

"Thanks for the heads up though. I've been keeping an eye on him. I hope his friends will keep him in check."

"They can only do so much to stop him. He's a leader, not a follower."

Max nodded. "Don't worry about me Brin. I'll be fine. But maybe things can be like they once were," Max thought with a small smile.

Brin returned the smile. "I'm glad you're back, Maxie."

Max forced a small smile, but said nothing more as she finished the rest of her meal and headed out again, leaving her sister with a quick goodbye and wishing her well. Brin still was loyal to Manticore, but at least Max had given her something to think about. She was willing to bet that this time, Brin wouldn't report any of her thoughts to Command. They were still family, after all.

* * *

**A/N**: OK, so Max totally kicked butt this chapter...whether or not she could really hold her ground against six opponents is a tough call to make. But I figure in some martial arts, they do have practice/rank tests against multiple attackers (usually up to four, I think, but it might be three...), so six can't be too bad if she gets rid of two of them early on, right? -uneasiness- Thoughts welcomed. Flames included, but I would prefer a warning so I won't be too depressed when I finish reading it. Still, I wanted an event that would provide a turning point for the relationship between Max and her unit, so it had to be something big. It could have been something else, but nothing else came to mind... 

I personally liked her speech in this chapter; I thought it was quite effective. But who am I to say? I'm not a speech writer, that's for sure. I don't know where it came from when I wrote it, but it just...came to me effortlessly, which certainly brought a smile to my lips. The segment with Brin was added just a few days ago to provide a slightly longer chapter (heh) and to provide a chance to develop their "family" bond again.

I apologize for Alec's absence in this chapter, but he will definitely be starring in the next chapter, and there's some dodgeball involved. Another teaser for the next chapter: names! I'll provide an updated character profile so you don't have to page back and forth in the next chapter too.

I know some of you are hoping to see Max and Alec officially get together soon, but I'll be honest and inform you now: I'm one of those authors who likes to build things up before letting things happen, just so that it seems more appropriate when it finally does happen. As of now, Max still holds onto the hopes of reuniting herself with the boyfriend she can't remember (i.e. Logan), so nothing can really happen, even if there is some chemistry that everyone else seems to be noticing...but I promise you all that it will eventually get there! I hope this insight doesn't discourage anyone from reading this, but I'm not going to mislead anyone...

With that said, thanks for reading, and please review! You know I'll reply.

P.S. If anyone cares, I've uploaded some Dark Angel vids on youtube featuring Manticore escapees. You can find links on my profile. I'd appreciate it if you could rate the videos, comment, or both (on the youtube site)!

For my anonymous reviewers:

**opalshine:** Thanks for the computer. -grins- Here's your update! Thanks for reviewing!

**Kayla**: Too bad 321 didn't learn in the last chapter, but I think he's definitely learned his lesson by now. I hope. Thanks for reviewing; I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!

**random person**: I'm glad you didn't find it boring. I hope you enjoyed this new chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

**Maria Gonzalez**: Glad you like the "new kids". They were certainly fun to create. I hope you enjoyed this new chapter; thanks for reviewing!


	10. Max's Secret, CharList

**Chapter 10: Max's Secret**

**Field C, Manticore**

It was the middle of the week; their week of free practice was gradually coming to an end. Max ran through several mock exercises with the group, breaking them down into two groups of four and one group of three or three groups of three and 645 with her in a fourth group. She assigned them into the groups they had naturally fallen into, with the exception of 645, whom she rotated in and out of the groups to see in which she would work best. She also rotated leadership positions to gauge their leadership abilities. She was planning on trying something a little different that would hopefully allow them more flexibility than most units.

"As you all know, next week, we'll be practicing with X6 units. Are we going to let them defeat us?"

"No ma'am!" they chorused loudly.

"The X6 class is larger than ours, double, maybe even triple our size. Considering our unit is smaller than average already, we will be at a slight disadvantage. Some of you may be wondering why I've given everyone a leadership position at one point or another. First off, I was looking for someone to be my Second In Command. I have chosen 645."

Max briefly glanced at 645, but 645 revealed nothing, so she continued. "Secondly, we're going to try a new strategy, something I hope will help us overcome the odds in the training exercises we have ahead. You are probably accustomed to your CO giving orders that you simply follow to achieve a mission objective. Well, I have seen all that you can and cannot do this past week, and I believe you should be given some more trust. I have divided you all into three groups, groups you have chosen for yourself. In the future, when I ask that you fall into your groups, these are the groups. Each group will have its own leader. 321, 536, 863...you will be your group leaders. Any questions?"

No one said anything, so she continued. "In these exercises, 645 and I will work alone. You will work in your groups under the guidance of your leader. I will assign general guidelines, but it will be up to your leaders to find a means of accomplishing it. With three separate groups working independently and two working individually, it will be more difficult for enemies to predict our strategy as a whole unit, since we won't have one. This would be effective in countering larger numbers, since smaller groups are harder to locate, and if one group is caught, then less people are disabled from action. In most situations, we will be going against larger numbers, so I want you to take this seriously. Work with your group leaders, and if any of you have any questions or problems, whether it be over strategies or teamwork, make sure you come to me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Good. Now I want you all to work with your groups for today. Practice strategies, maneuvers, forms, whatever you think you need to work on. I will be moving from group to group to make sure there are no problems. Let's get to work."

The X5s scattered, breaking down into their groups. 645 wandered off on her own and practiced working on some forms. Max had grouped 321 with the other two from his former unit. 536 was with 729, whom he worked with in Class Alpha, and 134, whom Max noticed hung out with the other two during their free time. 863 was with 157, her fellow unit mate before their transfer. 428 was grouped with 863 and 157 since she seemed to get along with the other two.

Max sighed as she finished giving some pointer to the last group. It was a promising method, but there were still a lot of uncalculated variables. Hopefully it would work well for them when they went up against the X6s, and later X5s. When their time on the field was nearly over, she dismissed them for the day.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

After several games of basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, and even ping pong, the former members of Unit 8 came together with 863's group and now socialized regularly whenever there was free time.

"Anyone know where I might find some super glue?" 321 asked. "Supply closet seems to be out."

"What have you got up your sleeve now?" 409 asked, rolling his eyes.

"Just a little present for our new CO," he grinned.

261 rolled her eyes. "Don't you know when to quit? She's already kicked all of our asses thanks to you."

"What's going on?" 863 asked as she took a seat beside 321.

"321's still bitter over what happened," 261 explained.

863 laughed. "Come off it already, 321. 452's not that bad."

"She's a traitor, a deserter. How can you say that?"

"Are you always going to be using that excuse?" 261 asked in disappointment. She didn't like seeing him playing pranks that would land him in big trouble, something that happened too frequently anyway.

"What excuse?" 157 asked, taking a seat next to 863.

428 was the last to arrive and took a seat next to 261 as 863 explained 321's grudge.

"I'm getting the feeling I'm alone in this," 321 sulked.

428 nodded, "Count me out. She may be a traitor, but I'm not going to risk getting on her bad side anymore. She can fight...and she's got quite a temper." She rubbed her arms as if to remind them of the bruises they received from their unsuccessful plan.

409 and 863 nodded in agreement.

321 sighed. "Well, I don't intend to be caught. You guys better not tell."

"Of course not," they all promised.

321 excused himself to look for some supplies.

The group watched as 321 left, shaking their heads disapprovingly. He was going to get into so much trouble.

In another area of the mess hall, Alec had joined Max for dinner yet again. Max was once again observing the new social developments within her unit. Over the past few days, the tension had died down and they all seemed to be accepting her as a CO, in spite of her traitor status. Max noticed that Unit 9, which beforehand scattered themselves around the cafeteria, now seemed to consolidate themselves to one location. 321 and 863's group had come together. 536's group still kept themselves at a distance from the other six, but they were still closer together then they had been before. 645 sat alone but was within a close enough proximity to know what both groups were talking about, if she was interested in finding out.

"So Max, any pranks yet?" Alec asked as he swallowed a chicken nugget.

"Not yet, but I have a feeling something's brewing," she said as she watched 321 leave the mess hall earlier than usual.

"511 says people are talking about us," Alec began casually.

Max looked up, surprised. "About what? Is talking with a traitor bad for your reputation?" she teased.

Alec laughed. "Not at all. Believe it are not, there are things more important to me than my ego, but some people think we're...together."

"Together?" Max sputtered, nearly choking on the milk she had started drinking.

"Yeah...ever since that breeding program," he said, forcing a laugh, but it was clear he was a bit uneasy about this topic.

"What?!"

"Max, it's no big deal," he tried. "They're just rumors. I just...wanted to let you know before you found out from a third party. I swear I didn't say anything...about what was supposed to happen, even though a lot of guys asked. No one knows anything," Alec hurried. He watched anxiously to see how Max would take this. He didn't want Max to shut him out simply to disprove the rumors.

Max sighed and shrugged. "Let them think what they want. It's not like it's true or anything," she said dismissively.

Alec grinned, somewhat relieved, although he was starting to realize how much he enjoyed Max's company...

"I was hoping you'd say that. Anyway, now that that's out of the way, I was wondering if Unit 9 would be interested in a little bit of friendly competition with Unit 6 during rec hour tonight."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know...how's dodgeball sound?"

"You're on." Max grinned. "I'm rather good at evading, you know. Don't expect it to be a walk in the park."

"Good...seeya then. I'm going to get them in the spirit for victory," he announced with a wink and then left.

Max finished her dinner and went to go find her unit.

"You all up for some dodgeball tonight during rec hour?" she asked as she approached her unit.

"Sure," 409 said, finishing up his meal. Several others nodded in agreement.

"Good, because Unit 6 thinks they can beat us."

"Unit 6?!" 157 stammered. "But they _can_ beat us. They're the best at...everything!"

536 and 729 exchanged glances briefly. They had both seen 452 and 494 talking earlier and were starting to wonder if there was something else going on between them. They did hear those rumors a while back...

Max shrugged. "If you guys want to chicken out..."

"No!" 863 interrupted. "Of course not. I mean, if they're going to challenge us, we shouldn't back down. This is our chance to prove ourselves."

"Yeah, even if we don't beat them, at least can we prove we're not as bad as some units, considering we're new," 157 added.

Max smiled. "That's the spirit. Pass the word onto 321. I expect him to be there. I hope he's not up to any trouble..." she said as she walked away.

The group looked at each other and laughed, knowing Max knew 321 was planning something.

Max walked over to 645 and took a seat. She knew 645 was eavesdropping, but she asked anyway. "You up for some dodgeball? I'm sure you'd be good at it."

645 sipped her water before replying, "I'll pass."

"Suit yourself. We really could use your help," Max said as she got up and left. She could not force 645 to go. Rec hour was each soldier's time to do whatever they wanted, unless they were being punished for an infraction committed earlier in the day.

If she learned anything about 645 in the past week; however, it was that the girl worked best alone. It was one of the reasons why she had assigned the teams the way she did. She chose 645 as her Second because she could make split second decisions effortlessly. She could lead when necessary and could easily substitute for any of the chosen group leaders if one of them was ever out, but she always performed best when left to her own methods. She was a complete loner and liked it that way.

Max sighed, as 645 always reminded her of her earlier days back in training when she had held on to the hope of leaving Manticore one day. She had only been CO for one week, but it was enough to make her stay...for now. She had confidence in this small team they had placed in her hands, and she was certain she could help them accomplish things they never thought possible. Part of her wanted to see how far they could go – how much they could achieve, while another part of her felt the burden of the responsibility she held for everyone in Unit 9. She knew it would be impossible to leave now, even if the doors were held wide open for her.

Damn Renfro – she was one smart bitch. Not only did the burden of responsibility keep Max at Manticore, but the challenge Max felt, and her desire to prove that any escapee could be a good CO would ensure that she took her post seriously, helping Manticore put together a ninth successful unit. Everyone at Manticore knew about Unit 9 by the end of the week, and many of them laughed. They were smaller than the average unit, so they would always be at a disadvantage in terms of numbers. They were being led by an escapee lacking eleven years of training. They were composed of the outcasts of each unit, as well as the remaining members of Unit 8, which recently failed a mission. The odds were stacked heavily against them. These views, however, helped to bring Unit 9 closer together, as their desire to prove the others wrong was fueled. They may not have all been consciously aware of it, but Max saw it in their eyes when they all stepped up to Unit 6's challenge.

As for dodgeball, Max guessed they'd lose, but unless it was a complete shut out, it wouldn't be so bad, and she was planning on getting a few people before they took her out. That much was for sure.

**Gymnasium, Manticore**

645 had arrived to the gymnasium as early as possible to climb the rock wall. It was the best at night; at the top, she could see the stars through the sky dome. If she wasn't working out during rec hour, she was watching the stars. She could hear the members of Unit 6 and Unit 9 filtering in to prepare for their game of dodgeball. 645 knew they were going to lose most of their games. She had already calculated the odds as soon as Max brought it up. But that wasn't the reason why she didn't participate. She just wasn't interested.

How has she survived at Manticore then, where practically everything is team-oriented? Her former CO of Unit 5 gave her the easy tasks, where whether she succeeded or failed had little to no effect on the overall success of the mission. 645 knew this was because he didn't trust her – especially after what happened in that mission several years back, but 645 didn't care. It wasn't a matter of whether or not she could perform the task – she had above average scores in all her classes, better than most of her peers. Yet, she had no need to prove herself, so she went with the flow. It made her days at Manticore easier, and drew less attention to her. It also isolated her from her own unit. Since she could calculate the risks of every tactic within seconds, it allowed her flexibility to choose whether it was worth completing her given mission. When she failed, it didn't matter because she knew they would still succeed, so they never said anything. When she succeeded, it still didn't matter because it wasn't mostly her doing, so they still didn't say anything.

When she received her transfer orders, she didn't know what to expect. Although Manticore had drilled into them that the escapees of 2009 were traitors, deserters, rats, and every other derogatory thing Manticore could fit into their brainwashing program, 645 didn't consider 452 a traitor. In some ways, she could even admire what 452 did. 645 had learned in her earlier years how to avoid trouble. She had learned the hard way what not to do, as most Manticore soldiers did, but she wasn't naive. She understood why 452's unit had ran. But most of them didn't. Unit 5 couldn't comprehend why they would escape when Manticore had done so much to watch out for them. 645 had hated their ignorance, but she knew better than to speak up. She would have been considered a flight risk and thrown into psy-ops, as the remaining members of the escapees' unit had been. Those were dangerous times.

When she first met 452 that day, she could hear the life in her voice. She was different than most Manticore soldiers, who even through their "unique" voices, you could still hear a monotonous soldier. It was the voice 645 kept, shielding her true personality from everyone who spoke to her. 645 credited this uniqueness seen in 452 due to her time outside. She didn't know whether or not 452 would make a good commanding officer – she did lack a lot of training, after all, but as she was accustomed to, she went with the flow of things, so as to not cause trouble.

As the week progressed, 645 came to respect 452. 452 had recognized her talents where others failed. 452 even allowed her to work alone, something she had never done before but thoroughly enjoyed. As 645 watched the start of dodgeball down below her, she knew another side of her had woken up by joining Unit 9 – a side that had been dormant for so long. All because of 452.

-----------------------------

As soon as everyone who was expected to participate arrived, the match began. Everyone in Unit 9 was there except for 645, but Unit 6 had a few missing members, so the numbers were nearly even. 321 had arrived looking pretty pleased with himself. Max had decided to keep an eye on him, not that she didn't have a trick or two up her sleeve.

Max watched from afar as 321 took something out of his pocket, resembling glue. He looked around to check if anyone was watching, eying Max several times. Max would look away, pretending to be completely unaware. Yet as soon as he turned his attention away from her, she watched as he proceeded to smear it on the dodgeball. Max frowned as she looked at the gift he had intended for her. She dashed out of the gym, telling Alec to hold off the game for a few minutes. She had a prank to return.

The rec room was around the corner. This was the room where they could familiarize themselves with board games, cards, paint, crafts - whatever Manticore had invested in aside from training was found in the rec room. She found a pair of plastic gloves from the supply closet and took some wet paint since the super glue was apparently out. She returned to the gym as casually as possible and covered another dodgeball with some wet paint, watching 321 to make sure he didn't see her.

As the game began, she placed herself close by 321 to bait him. And he took it.

"Hey 452, you need a ball?" 321 casually asked.

Max shrugged, hiding the one she had behind her. "Sure."

Just as he threw it, she threw hers. "Catch, 321."

Not prepared for it, 321 caught the ball in both hands, only one of which was protected with a plastic glove. The other was painted red, just as the ball had been.

Max smirked as she revealed the plastic gloves she had on, holding the ball 321 had thrown her. "Nice try 321. You owe me 200 push-ups after this. You make a mess with that ball and it's 300."

321 cursed as he realized she had somehow thwarted his plan.

"What's that soldier?" Max asked.

"Nothing, ma'am."

"Try harder next time. Maybe if you can actually get me, I'll let you go scot free," she jeered.

321 simply glared.

"Hey Alec, free shot!" Max called out as she gestured over to 321. Alec grinned and aimed a hard shot at 321, who ducked to avoid the hit but wasn't quick enough.

"Looks like you're out 321. Clean up. You'll want to get those push-ups done before rec hour is over or else I'll add more on for tomorrow."

"Aww...that's not fair," he muttered. He walked away, sulking.

"You should have thought about that before."

Although everyone in Unit 9 had been focused on dodging and throwing balls, all of them heard what happened between 321 and 452, and all of them laughed as soon as 321 was out of hearing distance.

"Just as we suspected," 863 said.

"You gotta admit, that was pretty funny though," 409 commented as he withheld another laugh.

"Yep. I wonder what he'll try next time," 428 contemplated.

"Yeah...he's not going to give up, is he?" 157 asked.

"321? Not until he succeeds," 261 replied.

"Oh boy," 157 said with a sigh. "Hey...did 452 just call 494 something other than 494?"

The group back tracked and rewound the conversation in their heads. "I think you're right," 428 agreed. "She called him...'Alec'."

"Is that a name?" 863 asked in confusion.

"I don't know. Let's ask 452 later," 261 suggested.

Unit 6 and Unit 9 played several matches of dodgeball that night. Unit 6 won most of them, but Unit 9 managed to squeeze in a few small victories towards the end, after 321 had finished his push ups and rejoined them. Numbers made a difference in dodgeball, apparently.

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

It was the last day of free practice as a unit, and Max felt it was a good time for a break, but not until she taught them the lesson she had been meaning to teach them earlier in the week. They would be at odds in most situations, so they would need to know how to defend themselves adequately against multiple opponents.

"Given the numbers of our unit, any one of you may find yourself in an unfair situation, especially when against large groups like the X6s. You'll want to know how to protect yourselves." Max paused briefly as she noticed a few smiles leaking through their Manticore masks. Their CO finally trusted them enough to teach them what she had withheld after that fight proposed by 321. Max allowed a small smile in return as she continued, "Split up into two groups."

Not surprisingly, 863 and 321's group joined together on one side totaling six while 645 joined 536's group on another side totaling four.

"321, why don't you join the other group?" Max suggested.

321 frowned but went to join the other group, mumbling under his breath, "Great, I'm going to get my ass kicked by those Class Alphas."

"What was that 321?" Max challenged, even though everyone could hear what he said with their transgenic hearing. 536 and 729 exchanged glasses, both withholding a grin.

"Nothing," 321 grumbled.

Max smiled knowingly as he realized one of her intentions. The four waiting for 321 to join them were some of the better fighters in her unit. She was fortunate those four had decided not to join 321 in his plan, otherwise things might have gone terribly wrong that day. "We haven't got all day, 321," Max reminded, intending for him to pick up the pace.

321 grudgingly obeyed and was with the other four shortly after.

"One person will start out in the center of the group. Survive for two minutes and switch to the next person. I'll move between the groups and examine your progress. Some tips: keep moving – don't get boxed in. Know where your enemies are and use them against each other – make them get in each other's way or use them as shields. Keep things simple and quick – eliminate your enemies as fast as you can. Don't wait for your enemy to attack – take them by surprise and initiate the attack. Attackers, although this is just practice, I want you to imagine what would happen if you were surrounded during a field exercise and act as your enemies would. Don't hold back. The harder things are, the better you'll be when it really matters. Begin." Max instructed as she moved herself to watch one of the groups.

After four hours of continuous practice, they had improved substantially, and she was confident they would be ready for whatever would await. Of course, more practice would not hurt, but for now, it would suffice. To 321's credit, he didn't do too bad against the other four, but it was certainly enough for him to get a taste of his own medicine. As they arrived at the gym, she dismissed them and allowed them to do whatever they wanted. She was surprised, however, when only half of them left.

"Ma'am, we have a question," 428 began uneasily.

"Go ahead 428."

"During dodgeball last night, we overheard you refer to 494 as 'Alec'."

Max didn't realize she had let that slip, but now that she thought about it, she had called him by his name instead of his designation when she had targeted 321. She nodded, waiting for 428 to continue.

"We were wondering why," 428 finished, feeling the question sounded lame after all and was wishing she hadn't asked.

Max smiled slightly. "Well...can I trust you to keep a small secret from Command?"

They all shifted uneasily, but finally nodded. They all had kept secrets from Command at one point or another to stay out of trouble.

"'Alec' was a name I gave 494. He was being such a smart _aleck_ that I thought it was more suitable than 494." She paused as they laughed. "He was fine with it, so from then on, I called him Alec. When I was young, among my unit, we all shared a secret: each of us had a name we chose for ourselves. My name was Max."

The five nodded in understanding and smiled. "Since we're in on the secret, can we have names too?" 261 asked hopefully.

"Sure, if you want. I was actually hoping to share this secret with you all eventually, but I'm glad you found out."

"Could you...help us choose names? I only know of a few that I've used in my missions, and I don't really like any of them," 409 replied.

"I'll help if you want my help. I actually had a name picked out for all of you when I first met you all, but I know some of you may not like your names, so you're free to choose your own."

"I'd like to hear what you chose for me first," 261 said.

The others agreed, so Max told them one by one what names she had chosen for them. "261, I named you Joy because I noticed you are always cheerful and happy. You bring _joy_ to those around you. 409, I named you Ammo because you can't seem to stop playing around with the ammo during our weapons training exercises. 428, I named you Fin since you could swim faster than any of us when we were practicing some exercises in the pool, and you pretty much bested us in anything that required being underwater. 157, I named you Cody since you can _code_ any program you set your heart to. You're great at hacking, encryption, and programming. You can make any piece of technology work. 863, I named you Viper because you are as lethal as a viper when you strike."

Max waited to hear their reactions. She sighed in relief as they all smiled and announced that they liked their names.

"What about 321?" Joy asked. "I know he'll want a name."

Max laughed. "Well...I named him Nic, because he _thinks_ no one can do more than nick him."

Everyone laughed at that.

"What's everyone laughing about?" 536 interrupted. He had gone to train with 729 and 134, but then saw everyone crowding around Max, so he decided to see what was going on. 321 was trailing behind them, also wondering what the commotion was about. 645 remained aloof, once again close enough to listen to what was going on, but not close enough to be an active participant.

The five looked at Max, wondering if it was safe to tell. Max nodded, so Fin spoke up. "Max is giving us names."

"Names?" 729 asked.

"Yeah, she gave 494 a name - Alec. We overheard it last night and were wondering about it. When she told us, we decided we wanted a name too. She's named all of us," Joy exclaimed, more cheerful than usual.

"Really? What's my name?" 321 asked.

The five laughed and Max grinned before saying, "I named you Nic, because you think no one can do more than _nick_ you."

"What do you mean I _think_? It's true!" Nic exclaimed.

Everyone just laughed again, leaving Nic furious. Those close to Nic didn't dare remind him of the numerous times that hadn't quite been true, but it was certainly on their minds.

"I'll keep that name, only because no one _can_ do more than _nick_ me," he grumbled.

"What about me?" 536 asked, curious.

"I named you Dart because you've got one of the fastest track and obstacle course records in Manticore. You're as fast as a flying _dart_."

Dart grinned. "I like it."

134 and 729 waited anxiously as Max revealed their names. "729, I named you Tri since you always like to lurk in the _trees_ to take out enemy units. 134, I named you Gai, since you're such a great _guide_. You excel at tracking and navigation. You know exactly where to go."

Tri and Gai smiled, pleased with their names as well. Max had given them something that represented who they were, rather than picking them randomly out of a book. That they could appreciate.

"What about 645?" Joy asked, noticing 645 was not present.

Max turned her attention to 645, who was practicing some forms a distance away.

"I don't think 645 wants a name at this point," Max said, dropping the matter. She knew 645 was listening, and so she wasn't going to reveal anything prematurely.

They all took the hint and tried out their names for each other, getting used to calling each other by their names instead of their designations. Max smiled to herself as she watched her unit. She couldn't help but feel a slight bit of pride for the unit she had trained this past week. It was truly something, being a leader. It was worth staying in Manticore, she admitted with a small sigh. Still, she missed her friends...and boyfriend. She frowned as she thought back to the numerous unsuccessful attempts she had made to recall the keyword she had assigned her significant other. All she was left with was a memory that she had one, and that they loved each other, but things never got too far. She figured when she found her friends, they would be able to remind her. Even Normal would know something, right? Well, that was assuming he would even talk to her, much less give her back her post at Jam Pony after her long absence. But she wasn't leaving Manticore anytime soon, not with what was happening now. She couldn't just leave them. She sighed, wondering if she would ever be free again.

* * *

**Unit 9 Profiles (Update with NAMES!)**

Series: X5

Designation: 134

Alias: Gai

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 1

Specialties: tracking, navigation, and communications

Known Acquaintances: 729

Physical Characteristics: Blue eyes, blond hair, light weight with toned muscles, peachy complexion

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 157

Alias: Cody

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 3

Specialties: encryption, computer/software programming, hacking, coding, hardware, engineering

Known Acquaintances: 863

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, brown hair, medium build, tanned complexion

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: X5-863

Alias: Viper

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 3

Specialties: weapons (particularly guns), general combat, tracking

Known Acquaintances: 428 (after 428 rescued her during a mission), 321, 261, 409, 157

Physical Characteristics: Blue eyes, black hair, light build, peachy complexion

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 729

Alias: Tri

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 1 (2015), Unit 4 (2015-present)

Specialties: stealth, recon, combat

Known Acquaintances: 134, 536 (former Class Alpha Member)

Physical Characteristics: Brown eyes, brown hair, light build, lightly tanned complexion

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 645

Alias: Not Applicable (yet...)

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 5

Specialties: stealth, recon, tactical analysis

Known Acquaintances: none

Physical Characteristics: Dark brown eyes, black hair, average build, light complexion

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 536

Alias: Dart

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 6

Specialties: combat, weapons, stealth & recon

Known Acquaintances: 729 (former Class Alpha member)

Physical Characteristics: Brown eyes, dirty blond hair, medium build, light complexion

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 428

Alias: Fin

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 7

Specialties: aquatics (highest scores), engineering, underwater demolitions, field med

Known Acquaintances: 863 (after rescuing 863 on a mission)

Physical Characteristics: Hazel eyes, blond hair, light build, short from pale skin

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 261

Alias: Joy

Gender: Female

Unit History: Unit 8

Specialties: field med, communications, general technology

Known Acquaintances: 409, 321, 863

Physical Characteristics: Dark brown eyes, black hair, medium build, dark complexion

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 321

Alias: Nic

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 8

Specialties: stealth, recon, sniping (perfect marksmanship score)

Known Acquaintances: 261, 409, 863 (known to pull pranks on 863 to win her heart)

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, black hair, light weight, tanned complexion

Other: Sent to solitary numerous times for pulling pranks on Manticore personnel as well as fellow soldiers

-----------------------------

Series: X5

Designation: 409

Alias: Ammo

Gender: Male

Unit History: Unit 8

Specialties: demolitions, combat, vehicles

Known Acquaintances: 261, 321, 863

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, brown hair, medium build with well-toned muscles, light brown complexion

**GROUPS for Field Exercises**

Group 1: Dart, Tri, Gai

Group 2: Viper, Cody, Fin

Group 3: Nic, Ammo, Joy

* * *

**A/N**: Well, there you have it, names! I'm glad most of you were ok with the fight scene in the last chapter. I've been thinking back on the scenes I've established for future chapters and realize that I might have to work on them a bit more. Hopefully they'll be realistic enough when you all get around to reading them. Anyone interested in being a beta reader? PM me if you are! I don't think I have much to comment on in this chapter. I personally felt the MA scene was rather short, but they will have more time together in the coming chapters, I promise! Now that Max is CO, it seems harder to put them together. :-( As far as military tactics go, I'm making this up as I go and am trying my best with what I know. Whether or not the plan Max created would really work...I wouldn't know. I can only hope it would? Comments/criticism welcomed. 

I hope the updated profiles were helpful. So...there's one last chapter coming up before I head off to my study abroad destination. Expect an update on either Friday or Saturday of next week. I really appreciated the longer-than-usual reviews I received last chapter! Thanks for reading and once again, please review, whether it be praise or criticism. All is good, all the time. ;) You know I reply to all reviews!

For my anonymous reviewers:

**Kayla**: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well, and thanks for reviewing!

**The Blind Apprentice**: Due to its length, I sent you a PM. If you didn't receive it, let me know.


	11. Moving Up

**Chapter 11: Moving Up**

**Field B, Manticore**

It was their first day going against the X6s, and everyone in Unit 9 was ready, not to mention excited to prove themselves. The X6s seemed equally excited as the same thoughts crossed their minds – it was known that the X5 series were generally better than the X6s. As the TAC Leader explained the drill, the units listened. X5 Unit 9 was going against X6 Unit 3. X5 Unit 9 held eleven members while X6 Unit 3 had 21 members. The odds were stacked against them 2:1.

As X6s, the series following the X5s; they were designed to be faster and stronger than the X5s, so although they were younger, they were almost equally matched in strength and speed. The only thing the X5s had over the X6s was the ability to think independently. After the escape, the X6s spent more time in indoctrination and brainwashing to ensure loyalty to Manticore. Any ounce of independence was shattered. The X6s depended on each other as worker bees depended on their queen. They followed orders and knew only that, which is why Max knew the strategy she developed would work well against them. She wasn't sure about other X5 units though.

The exercise was simple. One member from each side was chosen to be the hostage. Whoever eliminated all enemy units first and secured their hostage would win. The hostage is allowed to attempt escape, but once the hostage escapes, the enemy is allowed to eliminate the hostage. If the hostage is eliminated, the exercise ends and the enemy wins automatically. Every active member is provided with an imitation MP5, containing rubber pellets as ammo. For this exercise, two shots would eliminate the target.

Max elected herself to be the hostage, handing over command to 645, who accepted it without question. This surprised not only the TAC Leader and the X6 Unit, but Unit 9 as well. Although it was their first exercise, Max was showing she had complete trust in 645, and 645 was not planning on letting her down. Unit 9 did not object and was just as ready to follow 645's orders.

Max headed back to the enemy base with the X6 unit while Unit 9 took an X6 back to their base. Both units were given ten minutes to get to their base and devise a plan of action.

645 wasted no time in breaking them down into the predetermined groups. Viper's team was assigned the job of guarding the hostage and base. Nic's team was assigned the job of rescuing Max. Dart's team was assigned the job of eliminating enemy units at the midway point and beyond. 645 would help defend the base. Once the assignments were given, the exercise began.

Viper assigned Cody the job of guarding the hostage. Fin would guard the north and east sides of the base. Viper would cover the south and west sides.

Dart's team advanced towards the enemy base in cooperation with Nic's team. They decided to join forces and collaborate on a plan to defeat the advancing forces, then work together to neutralize enemy defenses. The greater numbers would help against the large offense. Tri had scaled a tree to gather the location of their enemies. One group on her far left had just passed the midway point, so 645 and Base would have to take care of them. A group of 5 X6s could be seen approaching from the far right at a slightly slower pace. Another group of X6s could be seen coming straight towards them, moving at an even slower pace. Dart agreed to take out the X6s on the right while Nic's group would eliminate the X6s approaching them straight ahead. The two groups moved out.

645 hid high in a tree as she waited for the enemy unit to arrive. She had scaled a tree and saw them approaching 50 meters away, so she was ready for them. They had already passed the midway point, so it was up to her to eliminate them. There were roughly 5 in a group. She guessed the X6s divided themselves into 4 groups of 5. One group was probably defending the base and guarding the hostage while the other 3 groups of 5 were sent to retrieve their hostage, with one moving down the center and another group flanking them on the left and right so that they could cover every bit of ground as they advanced. It was an effective plan, but it had its weaknesses. 645 would have no trouble defeating a group of X6s, especially if they didn't know that only one person was out to get them. She crouched down to hide herself better, careful to not make a sound.

Dart blurred ahead, providing a distraction for his group. The X6s took the bait and all opened fired as he blurred in and out between trees, not getting hit even once. Meanwhile, Tri and Gai went behind the X6s and opened fired on them from behind. The X6s didn't even know what hit them when they went down.

Ammo and Joy met the X6s head on, opening fire on them as soon as they were within range. Nic provided cover when an X6 not in the crossfire would attempt to fire back. All the X6s were down within seconds, with none of them able to fire any rounds at Ammo or Joy due to Nic's quick and accurate shots.

As the enemy unit approached, 645 launched herself from the treetops, opening fire on the group of X6s below, taking out three of the five. They only realized where the shots came from when she landed right on top of them, tossing aside their weapons and neutralizing them by knocking them out.

Max waited patiently inside the enemy base. She tried to make some small talk with the X6s to cure her boredom, but they refused to say anything. So she resorted to playing with the knot they had used to tie her hands together. It was an effective knot, but if you knew how to get out of it, you could. Of course she knew, but she was more interested in seeing how well her unit would do without her assistance.

Dart and Nic's groups regrouped and grinned when they realized they were no casualties. Gai scouted ahead towards the enemy base to find out how many troops they had posted outside. He came back and reported that only two were posted outside. With the six of them remaining, this was going to be an easy victory.

Dart's group eliminated the outer defenses, providing cover for Nic's team as they infiltrated the base.

Max smiled as she heard them enter the base. She was just about to untie herself when the door burst open and in came Ammo and Joy, followed by Nic. The two guards opened fired as soon as they entered. Ammo and Joy blurred to the side, avoiding the line of bullets and knocking the X6s out with several physical blows.

"Nic is here to save the day!" Nic declared as Max untied herself. "See, it's true that the worst people can do is nick me. I am unharmed."

"Watch out!" Joy shouted as an X6 who just appeared in the doorway opened fired at Nic. Ammo was quick enough to push Nic out of the way so that only one bullet hit him, which allowed him active status, while Joy eliminated the last standing X6.

"I would consider that bullet more than a nick," Max teased as they left the enemy base together.

Nic groaned. "You're mean," he told Max.

Ammo and Joy just laughed as Max replied, "Do you want more push ups?"

Nic was silent after that, but far from happy. The bell rang, signaling the end of the mission. Viper's team returned the hostage they held to her unit as the units gathered themselves at the center of the field. The TAC Leader congratulated Unit 9, praising them for having no casualties and ending the exercise in a timely manner. He dismissed them early and discussed what went wrong with the X6 unit.

The group leaders debriefed both Max and 645 on what happened to paint a picture for how they achieved victory on their own. 645 relayed her part as well. Viper complained about being bored that round. Babysitting just wasn't her thing.

"Considering it was our first time, you all did really well. No casualties – I'm impressed," Max complimented. "Although Nic needs to be more careful if he doesn't want to become a casualty next time."

Nic turned a slight shade of red.

"I'm also glad you discovered that collaboration between the groups can be beneficial to mission success. That's always important to remember. Although I have given group leaders control over their own groups, there is strength in numbers as well. Viper, 645 and I will ensure that you will have more action in the next exercise, right 645?"

645 just nodded.

"Give yourselves a pat on the back. You all aced this exercise without my help. You guys don't even need me."

Max then realized she could have put that in better words when everyone grew silent. She knew the thought on their minds, so she reassured them - "I'm not leaving you all behind. We've got one victory today, but let's not get too confident. I would like to see the following exercises like a repeat of today's – no casualties. After today's performance, I have a goal for you all," she paused to make sure she had everyone's full attention. "This may seem like a far reach for some of you, but the next Skills Assessment Period is coming up. I want you all to aim for Class Alpha. Some of you were already in it, but all of you have the potential to be in it. I say this because I have seen what you can do, and I have been in Class Alpha myself. I know you all are capable of getting there if you set your heart to it.

Unit 9 exchanged uncertain glances between themselves. The silence was finally broken when Joy cheered, "Class Alpha it is!"

The rest of the unit erupted into cheers as they all repeated Joy's chant – all except for 645, who remained silent and merely observed.

"Go get cleaned up and we'll go celebrate together in the cafeteria," Max dismissed.

Unit 9 scattered and headed inside. 645 treaded behind them, taking her time.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

Renfro listened intently as the TAC Leader gave his report on Unit 9.

"Ma'am, Unit 9 completely crushed the X6 Unit. Although they were outnumbered two to one, none of them were eliminated. 321 was hit once, but it was determined that two bullets would be required to eliminate the target. They finished the exercise in record time. But that's not all. What was most impressive was that they did it without 452's assistance."

"Explain."

"452 opted to be the one taken hostage. She left command to 645."

"452 must have been pretty confident of 645's abilities to give her so much responsibility."

"Ma'am, I'm not exactly sure how they succeeded the way they did, but 452 must be trying something different. In the past, only Unit 6 has achieved similar outcomes, but 494 was present to command his unit."

Renfro nodded as she absorbed the information. "Keep an eye on 452 for me this coming week. Make sure she's not trying to hand over her position to 645, and change the requirements. One bullet to eliminate the target. Find out what they are doing that is different and allowing them this success."

"Yes ma'am," the TAC Leader affirmed before leaving. The change would work two ways, however. Since the X6s were in greater numbers, it would be easier for the X5s to take them out as long as they had good aim. On the same token, if the X5s are hit, they would be out of the game faster. Yet, the TAC Leader felt this change would only make this easier for the X5s, after all, the X6s couldn't even land a shot until the very end, which may have just been a fluke.

Renfro saved the notes she had from the TAC Leader's report. She had not expected Unit 9 to do so well. This changes things a bit. She had expected Unit 9 to beat the X6s, but just barely. That was what her staff told her after a thorough analysis of Unit 9 soldiers and those of the X6 unit. No one would ever imagine a wipeout. Of course, until she knew exactly what was going on, she couldn't act on it. She could only wait anxiously to see if 452 had other plans in mind.

**Gymnasium, Manticore**

"Congratulations 645," Max began as she took a seat next to 645. Max had found 645 atop the climbing wall once again staring into the night sky. By now, Max knew where to look for 645 when she wanted to find her.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"What did you think of today's exercise?"

"It was too predictable. The X6s practically followed the book. The X5 units won't be like that."

"Then maybe we'll have to think of something else, hmm?"

"Maybe."

The two watched the stars in silence for a while before 645 spoke.

"Ma'am, may I ask a question?"

"Sure."

"What's it like...outside?"

Max sighed, recalling the scattered memories from another lifetime. "It's...free. You've been on missions, haven't you?"

"A long time ago," 645 replied. Max was surprised she could hear a sadness underlying the girl's usual monotonous voice. "I only went on one. It was a few years ago. I was 15 at the time. Our mission was to obtain an artifact kept in a science museum. Our cover, as you may guess, was school children visiting the museum. Only the best from my unit were selected to go on that mission since it was an early mission. It was an honor to be able to go. Things went as planned and the artifact was retrieved with little trouble. We had some time to kill before our transport would arrive, so we wandered around the city." 645 paused, as if trying to remember what happened. "I accidentally got separated from the group when we went through a crowd of people. As I wandered around on my own, I met a girl who reminded me of some things in life. Her name was Kev. I realized then that I didn't want to go back to Manticore, but eventually, my CO found me and realized my intentions." She paused, trying to suppress the emotions that were attempting to surface. "They knocked me out and took me back anyway, reporting I fell and hit my head. I guess my CO knew if I ran, all of Unit 5 would be checked into psy-ops."

Max listened in stunned silence as the girl beside her revealed an untold secret.

"My CO never reported me, but he kept a watchful eye on me ever since. He never allowed me to do anything risky, anything that would cost us the mission. When another mission came up, I was no longer chosen to come along, and it's been that way since. He isolated me from my own unit. I no longer cared – what I wanted had been taken from me. He never really understood me anyway. So I then focused on not being noticed, so that if the opportunity came, I could leave, and no one would remember me."

Max finally understood why 645's record was spotless after her childhood years. She even understood why she had taken an interest in 645 when they first met. They had a similar goal.

Max sighed, unsure of what to say. "645, maybe someday we'll be able to leave...together. We just can't leave the rest of Unit 9 behind."

645 nodded in understanding. "Ma'am, ever since I've joined Unit 9, I've felt a part of me come to life. You're a great leader...Max," 645 tested the name, acknowledging her personality for the first time. "You've helped me feel like I am a part of something for once in my life, and I really appreciate that. My desire to leave was great while I was in Unit 5; I felt worthless. But since I've joined Unit 9...I like Unit 9. I'm not ready to leave yet."

Max let out a small smile, but it was unseen as the two continued star gazing. "You know, 645, you'll really like it outside, but I think we both can wait a while longer."

645 let out a rare smile, but it was unseen by Max, yet Max could feel it, and so she smiled too. The two continued star gazing in silence. The gap that had been between them was now closed, and a new connection created and strengthened by the same desire to be outside was formed.

As their rec hour ended, 645 asked Max, "Just out of curiosity, what did you name me?"

"I didn't, to be honest. I couldn't think of a good name for you." Max paused before continuing, "But I think you already have a name, Kev."

Kev was silent, surprised by Max's guess. But after the shock passed, she smiled again. Max was right. The girl she discovered that day on the mission was her own identity, an identity that was long forgotten. Yet as she watched the people around her in the open market place that day, a switch was pushed, causing the personality she had locked away to keep herself out of trouble at Manticore to resurface. It was the identity Manticore had taken away at an early age through their rigorous brainwashing programs and harsh punishments, but it was finally back, and she had no intention of losing it. Upon returning to base and adopting the "outcast" status, she named herself Kev, short for Kevalini, a name of Indian origins meaning "alone". She kept her personality in check when around her unit, but their was no doubt that they noticed a change in her, which only helped to further isolate her from her unit.

Max looked over to Kev, noticing she was deep in thought, but smiling. "So can I call you that now?" Max asked casually.

"Only if I can call you Max," Kev replied, turning her head to meet Max's stare.

Max smiled. "Welcome to the club, Kev."

Kev smiled slightly and nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing more and returned to star gazing.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

"Ma'am, as you requested, I have watched 452 throughout the week. Unit 9 has continued with sweeping victories over the X6 units, whether 452 is in command or not. Unit 9 takes orders from 452 without problems just as easily as they take orders from 645. The unit has united as one. I've been tracking Unit 9's movement on the radar during the exercise, but I haven't quite figured out what strategy they are using yet, as it doesn't seem to ever be the same. The movements of the dispatched X5s are in no particular pattern, at least none of those that were taught to them. The only thing that remains consistent is that the unit is divided into 3 groups of three while 645 and 452 go their separate ways. Occasionally the groups regroup to form larger groups in order to accomplish a task, but then they redivide themselves to accomplish smaller objectives."

Renfro pondered for a moment before continuing. "Well, since we can't figure it out, I guess I'll just have to go to the source."

She dismissed the TAC Leader and summoned some guards to find 452. She then took a sip of her coffee and instantly spat it out. She quickly called the guards back and told them to find 321 first, then 452.

A few minutes later, 321 was standing at attention in front of the Director.

"321, do you mind telling me why my coffee tasted a bit salty today?"

"Ma'am, perhaps you accidentally put salt instead of sugar by accident, ma'am?" he offered politely.

"So I'm not going to find you on the security cameras this morning then?"

"Ma'am, I do not know, ma'am."

Renfro played back the security cameras in the hallway and froze it when a still of 321 entering her office was found. "And how do you explain this 321?" she asked, trying to keep her temper in check.

"Ma'am, I thought I saw a rat. I felt it my duty to eliminate it from office spaces for respected personnel as yourself, ma'am."

"Very funny, 321. I hope you see the humor in this situation a few days later. Take him away," she told the guards.

"No need. I know the way to solitary," 321 mumbled, but the guards took him by both arms and dragged him away to an isolation cell.

Renfro poured out her coffee and poured herself a new cup, careful to make sure it was sugar that she put in the coffee and not salt. Shortly afterwards, her second guest arrived.

Max stood at attention. So much had happened since the last time she was summoned to the Director's office. She wondered what this meeting would be about.

"I've been hearing reports of your training exercises against the X6s, 452. I must say, I'm impressed."

Max said nothing, but she wondered if the Director was being serious with that compliment.

"4 days in a row, Unit 9 crushes its opponent, a different X6 unit each day. Each victory there are no casualties. You may not be aware, but only Unit 6 and occasionally Unit 4 have had such an impressive record. If you keep this up, you'll be setting up your unit for Class Alpha."

Max still said nothing. Clearly Renfro had a point. She was just taking forever to get to it, as she always did. Drawing things out seemed to give the woman an illusion she had some sort of power, but it simply just bored Max. At least she was complimenting them – that was unexpected.

"Is that your goal, 452? To be in Class Alpha? With Unit 6?"

Max froze. What the hell was that supposed to mean?! But Max knew where this was going, and it made her uneasy.

"There's been rumors floating around, 452. Rumors I know aren't true, I hope."

Max still said nothing, careful to keep a straight face.

"But don't worry 452. Right now, I'm not concerned if that is indeed your goal. In fact, right now, I don't even care if you and 494 _are_ really together. Perhaps you'll finally complete the mission you were assigned a while back and give Manticore a new generation soldier. What matters to me right now is that you're taking a group of outcasts and bringing them together to form one hell of a unit. So my question is, 452, how did you do it?"

Max had to try hard to suppress a laugh as she realized what had just happened. Now how should she word her answer...

"Ma'am, I simply maximized the resources available." Max knew Renfro would want all the juicy details, but she was not going to give them to her that easily.

"You and I both know the answers I'm looking for. Don't play games with me 452."

"Or what? You'll take me away from them?" she taunted. "I'm sure you know by now they don't need me. They're quite capable of handling things without me. But that would defeat the purpose of this CO assignment for me, wouldn't it?"

Renfro clenched a fist to maintain her temper. "I'll be watching you 452. We'll get to the bottom of this." She smiled as she said, "I'm glad you're working with Manticore again, 452. Welcome back."

The color from Max's face drained at those words. "You haven't won me back yet."

"Not completely, 452. But I would say we're making good progress. Look at what you've done for Unit 9. You can't undo that now. And I'll find what you're not telling me, 452. If I'm lucky, you'll tell me what I'm looking for someday. Then, 452, you will be back home where you belong. But I have other ways of finding out, and I'll use them if you force me to. If what you're doing can help Manticore units improve, we're going to find out, 452, whether you want us to or not. I don't have to play nice," Renfro threatened.

Max scoffed. "You can try whatever stunt you want, but sending me to psy-ops or torturing me won't exactly get you what you want."

"What makes you so sure, 452?"

"I was in there for seven months before I was ready to begin training again, and what good did that do?"

"I could make it eight months. After all, you did say your unit doesn't need you."

"Would you really remove a good, hardworking soldier from active duty to find out something you could merely discover from observation and analysis?" Max questioned.

"No, I probably wouldn't. But observation and analysis are not working right now. It saves a lot of time if you simply tell me what I'm looking for 452."

Max just smiled politely. "Perhaps you should have more people observing and analyzing then. You gave me the position of a commanding officer. I'm doing what I must to ensure my unit will still have an advantage when we go against the other units, because maybe our goal is to join Class Alpha."

Renfro sighed, knowing she was defeated this round. She should have known 452 would not be cooperative.

"Very well then. You are dismissed 452."

Max gave a half-assed salute – not that the Director would notice, before heading out.

"Good luck achieving victory a member down, 452. 321 got himself put in isolation. My coffee was salty this morning."

Max rolled her eyes and promised to...talk...to Nic later.

"Keep in mind, your unit reflects on you as well, 452. You should tell them to mind their manners."

Max said nothing as she left. She was thinking of how to make things work with Nic gone. He was a group leader after all. Perhaps reverting to the standard Manticore ways would work and fool Renfro's analysts.

Renfro thought to herself as she watched 452 leave. She was letting 452 get away with more than the average soldier just because of who she was. Handling things with 452 was a delicate matter, and one wrong step could end in disaster. 452's years of experience on the outside gave her knowledge of the way things work and the way people think. It gave her the chance to question and seek answers instead of blindly following orders. At Manticore, things are just the opposite. Everything is done in secrecy, and blind obedience is demanded. 452 obviously doesn't like it, and she would not hesitate to escape to freedom if nothing held her back.

Renfro frowned slightly as 452 took the leadership role a lot better than anticipated. It was quite possible, based on the results of their training exercises, that Unit 9 would become qualified to be one of the top units. That would do well for her standing with the Committee – bringing in an escapee to work for Manticore not only as a standard soldier, but as a leader to one of the best units. Still, the Director knew 452 was looking for a way out, and she must stop her before she finds one.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

"Rumor has it you guys are shutting out the X6s," Alec said as he seated himself next to Max. "Not a single casualty. No wonder the X6s are looking so down." Alec gestured over to the somber looking X6 units in the far corner.

Max smiled, "Yep. And you guys are next."

Alec grinned, "I wouldn't be so sure about that Max. The X6s are annoying little buggers, but they're nothing compared to us."

"We'll see about that."

"So I guess things are sorted out, eh? No more pranks, no more jeers about you being a traitor?"

Max nodded as she thought back on their past two weeks together. They had formed some sort of bond as a unit. "Yeah, I guess so. I still think 321 is out to get me, but I doubt he'll stop until he succeeds. I think it's a pride issue now though and not so much about me being a traitor. You know, he just got himself sent to isolation for putting salt in Renfro's coffee this morning. Can you believe that? He must have been looking for an easier target." She shook her head in disappointment before continuing. "He missed our last exercise with the X6s. We still won, but it was a tad bit more difficult a man down. All in all though, I would say the unit has become pretty close over the past few weeks. We've learned each other's strengths and weakness. They can operate fine without me too, and they all have names, Alec."

"Aww, guess that means I'm not so special anymore."

Max rolled her eyes. "You were never special."

"Why do you always have to put me down, Max?" Alec pouted.

"To make sure your big ego doesn't explode."

"It's not going to explode."

"I just saw it expand. Are you sure?"

Alec decided to change the topic. He wasn't winning this round. "See, being a CO isn't so bad now."

"Yeah." Max sighed. Alec could see how training her unit for the past two weeks had tired her. He could also see the sadness in her eyes.

"Hey, it's going to be alright," he said reassuringly.

Max nodded, but it was evident she did not really believe it. "Alec, it's just not easy...wanting two conflicting things."

"Hmm?"

"You know...to be here, with Unit 9...and...to be out there, with my friends."

"I know...it's never easy," he squeezed her hand reassuringly. "But you'll find a way. And you know, I'm always here, if you need me," Alec said with a grin.

Max punched him playfully. "You're here even if I don't need you, being a pain in the ass."

Alec frowned. "Now that's harsh. I'm not that annoying, am I?"

"I already answered that," Max replied, grinning.

Alec sighed. "Anyway, do you think you'll be interested in catching a movie in the rec room with me later tonight during rec hour?"

"Depends. What movie?"

"A good pre-pulse one. Manticore's stocked up on a few, surprisingly."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Max asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Depends. Would you say yes?"

Max thought for a moment before replying, "I do need a break."

**Undisclosed Location, Seattle, Washington**

Lydecker picked up the pay phone and dialed the contact number he had been given. It took them weeks to track him down; he had always been one step ahead of them, but they finally found him. Yet instead of killing him as he thought they would, they made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

Lydecker waited patiently as the phone rang until an answering machine finally picked up. He dialed the ten digit code and was immediately transferred to another line.

"It's Lydecker. I'll agree to your terms, but we have a deal, and as soon as I even _think_ that deal is being broken, I'll do worse than destroy the DNA lab."

He paused and listened to the voice on the other line.

"I'm glad we have that clear. Has Renfro been informed?"

He waited for an answer before replying, "Keep it that way. I'll inform her myself," he smiled wryly. "Just forward me the appropriate documents."

He hung up and disappeared once again into the crowded streets of Seattle.

* * *

**A/N**: And now I'm off to Hong Kong. I wanted to have this chapter up before I left because of Lydecker. :P I prefer Lydecker over Renfro...so I just had to bring him back. Let's see what else...everyone finally has a name. Hopefully it'll be easier to remember. This chapter is sort of setting things up for the next chapter. You can bet that there will be another MA scene in the next chapter, and much more... 

Thoughts, comments, suggestions, criticism, etc. welcomed. Please read and review! You know I'll reply.

If things go according to plan, the next update will be before September 3rd, pending I settle down and such by that time...I may upload some standalones as well if I end up writing any during my long flight.

P.S. Again, for those who care, 3 new DA fan videos up, posted on my profile. Comments/ratings/etc. appreciated...

For my anonymous reviewers:

**Kayla:** Hmm...Max and Alec's units will eventually do a mission together, but it won't be for a while...Thanks for reading and reviewing; I hope you enjoyed this update!

**random person:** Glad you're still enjoying this! Thanks for reading and reviewing; I hope you enjoyed this update.


	12. Call of Duty

**A/N: **Special thanks to mars494 for beta-ing this! (Yay, I finally found a beta!)

**Chapter 12: Call of Duty**

**Isolation Cell 2**

Nic was doing some push-ups when several guards opened the door. He quickly stood at attention. He had not been in solitary long by Manticore standards, so he would be surprised if he was actually being released. His hopes of that were washed away as they led him straight back to the Director's office.

Nic saluted and waited at attention for the Director to address him.

"321, how are things? Quiet, I suppose? Had time to reflect on your behavior?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"And what have you realized?" Renfro knew 321 had not been in solitary long enough. She was planning on sending him back anyway, unless he helped her, of course.

"Not to kill rats, ma'am!"

"I was aiming for not sprinkling unwanted substances into employee beverages unless authorized to do so, but why should I waste my time on something you're not going to learn? I have a proposal for you, 321."

321 raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Proposals were not good things, at least while at Manticore.

"Tell me how Unit 9 has been working so effectively together in defeating the X6 Units, and I'll let you go. I'm sure your group misses you."

"And if I don't?"

Renfro smiled. "If you don't, you'll be given Class A treatment in solitary."

Class A treatment. Great, he thought. The worst of the three. "Ma'am, why come to me? Why not just ask 452? As our CO, she is more suitable in answering the question. There may be tactics she incorporated without my knowledge."

"Well, since you're in isolation, I don't see why I shouldn't take the opportunity to question you."

321 knew then that Renfro _had_ tried to get the information from Max, but knowing his CO, Max probably didn't tell her what she wanted. He knew then that he could only do the same.

"Ma'am, you're asking me to betray my CO," Nic replied defiantly.

"I'm asking no such thing. I'm simply asking for the strategies you have been following that have allowed you such high success rates. If Manticore can improve its soldiers by trying a new tactic, then it would be important for Manticore to know."

"Ma'am, I have reason to believe my CO does not wish to disclose this information, so I am not at the liberty to say what that information is, even if it means Class A treatment, ma'am," he replied dutifully. He then added with a hidden smile, "I know you save it for the best."

Renfro furiously told the guards to take him away and give him Class A treatment – no food, no water, sleepless nights filled with high pitched sounds to prevent him from sleeping, random interruptions from the guards, random beatings from the guards – the works.

The Committee eventually heard about the reports, and they were anxious to find out how 452, an escaped soldier lacking years of training and experience, managed to pull together such a successful unit out of misfits. Renfro had underestimated the loyalty Unit 9 had developed for 452. She sighed uneasily as the brief fear that things might spiral out of control emerged. She didn't like how well Unit 9 was doing. She wasn't sure if she would be prepared.

**Seattle Streets, Outskirts of Manticore**

Lydecker drove through the checkpoints, making his way to a classified location. When The Committee finally found him, it came in the simple form of a mailing, addressed to his wife. The grief he felt as the memories flooded back overwhelmed him, and he was tempted to throw out the package, but his curiosity got the better of him. To his surprise, inside the package was all the information he ever wanted – the truth about his wife's murder. It even detailed the capture and imprisonment of the murderer – a revengeful soldier who's life was torn apart by his platoons deployment ordered by Colonel Lydecker. He had blamed it on the colonel and took revenge in the form of his wife.

At the time, the soldier had information vital to the success of one of their missions, so when his superiors found out about it, they feared Lydecker would stop at nothing to eliminate the murderer, hence the reason why information was locked away and kept secret. After the mission was successful, the murderer was sentenced to life imprisonment. Documents detailed the prisoner's transfer to what Lydecker recognized as Manticore grounds. A report followed detailing the training exercise that ended the prisoner's life. Lydecker would have preferred that he be allowed to deal with the situation himself, but justice was served in a poetic way, if he could say so himself. Of course, this was assuming he believed what they were providing him with, but he did, since it brought him a sense of closure that he had long been searching for.

The Committee wanted answers for recent developments at Manticore, recent developments the current Director could not understand. Elizabeth Renfro had a background in science. Her knowledge of military strategy and training was limited. After the DNA lab was destroyed roughly eight months ago, the finger pointing started, as Lydecker had anticipated. Renfro tried her best to get back on the Committee's good graces, but after the failure of Unit 8 a month ago, they had enough. Then they heard the reports of 452's tremendous success without clues as to how it was happening. It made them realize that Lydecker was an asset to Project Manticore and should not be disposed of like garbage. They needed him back.

When they explained the situation to Lydecker and offered him an increase in salary, Lydecker agreed, under one other condition – he would have control over the search for his kids as well as those already at Manticore. The Committee was reluctant to honor the request at first, especially after seeing how well 452 was doing. They were eager to see what other talents the other escapees would bring back from their experiences outside and feared Lydecker would not try too hard to find them. But Lydecker was ready to turn down the offer if his request could not be honored.

The Committee needed him back, however, so their answer was simple. Lydecker would have complete control over the search for the rogues, as well as 452 and 734. Lydecker smiled as he accepted the offer. He was not going to take any risks when Renfro held the other gavel. He wanted to make sure they would be safe. It was still his job to protect them.

Lydecker couldn't help but feel a sense of pride when he heard what Max had accomplished. He was surprised to hear she was alive, since he had seen her die. When they informed him Zack had given his life in order for her to live, he couldn't help but feel sorrow over the lost of a great leader. Zack cared for all of them, particularly Max. He had noticed his affections toward her when they were young. That one exercise where a party balloon had floated onto Manticore grounds – Zack fought off a TAC Leader just so she could keep the balloon a little longer. He should have known then that the unit was too close, but he had seen it as a good thing – they would watch out for each other. He never realized their closeness would lead them to escape.

Renfro was clever, coming up with such a risky plan to keep Max from escaping. But Max had exceeded expectations and now her success was making Manticore nervous. Lydecker chuckled at the thought of Renfro completely baffled. Max was one of the brighter soldiers, and more importantly, she picked things up quickly. He knew Max was only playing along though – the chances of her willingly going on a mission were small. He personally refused to believe that Manticore managed to reprogram Max, but there was that possibility...

He sighed, knowing that agreeing to this post would be seen as betrayal in Max's eyes, if she were indeed still Max. He would have to tread cautiously with her as well. Things were not going to be easy. It was fortunate that many of the transgenic soldiers were kept out of the loop about Manticore's failed attempts to assassinate him, otherwise he might have trouble instilling that discipline he had done in the past.

As he arrived at the gates of Manticore, he showed them the documents and was ushered in. He smiled briefly at the thought of walking into Renfro's office to inform her of his new position. She would be furious.

**Gym Pool, Manticore**

With the exception of Kev, Nic, and Max, the rest of Unit 9 had gathered at the pool during rec hour that night to play a game of water basketball, followed by Sharks and Minnows. Kev was probably gazing at stars. Nic was still in solitary. Max...was with Alec. Unit 9 could tell there was definitely some sparks between those two COs, but the two were just too stubborn to admit it. Of course, it didn't exactly help that all of Manticore thought they were together already.

"I still can't believe Nic just _had_ to put salt in Renfro's coffee. We could have used his help today," Ammo complained.

"You'd think after that fire stunt he pulled a year ago he would have learned," Joy thought.

"Well, Max wasn't happy, and when Max isn't happy, Nic isn't going to be happy," Gai pointed out.

"That's true. Think she can teach him a lesson?" Viper muttered, her thoughts still thinking of that prank he had pulled on _her_.

They all laughed at the thought. "Nic? He'll never learn," Cody confirmed.

"Someone needs to teach him," Viper stated bitterly.

"Oh come on, Viper. Nic was just messing with you." Cody grinned, "I think he likes you."

Viper glared at Cody. "Not funny, Cody."

"What exactly did he do?" Fin asked.

"Don't you dare tell them," Viper warned.

Cody smiled as he told them, "It was during a training exercise between Unit 3 and Unit 8. Nic swapped out a good weapon with a rigged one. The exercise began and Viper was assigned to eliminate Nic. When she had him cornered and fired the weapon, it backfired and sprayed her with red dye. Her hair was various shades of red for the rest of the week!"

Viper clenched her fist, trying hard not to punch Cody for reminding her of that embarrassing moment.

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Ammo reminisced. "Nic could barely walk after that exercise," he remarked with a laugh.

Viper just smiled, "He had it coming."

"He was already going to solitary for that stunt," Joy reminded. "That was kind of harsh."

Viper shrugged. "Maybe it'll teach him to not mess with me," she hoped.

Ammo laughed. "Yeah right. He _likes_ you. He'll never stop messing with you."

Viper's face reddened slightly. She hated this romance thing and could not understand it in the least. Why did someone have to come after _her_?

The subject changed as Tri made a shot into the basket, ending the game in favor of her team. "How do you think we'll do against the X5 Units?" Tri wondered aloud.

Everyone was silent for a moment, for they all had wondered the same thing at one point or another.

"We'll kick their asses, of course," Dart exclaimed.

Several agreed, but others were uncertain. The X5 units were definitely going to be a bit more of a challenge.

"Well, whatever happens, happens," Fin finished. "I trust that Max and Kev will do their best to make sure we win." Max had introduced Kev's name the morning after their conversation. Unit 9 was pleased that she finally had a name to go by, even though she refused to hang out with them during free hours. They understood she just preferred solitude, and they could respect that.

"Yeah, we can trust them," Gai grinned.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

Alec subconsciously wrapped an arm around Max as the movie began. They had taken over one of the few available couches in the Rec Room. Several other transgenics had gathered around for the night's pre-pulse viewing of _Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer_, about four super heroes who must help save Earth from being eaten by something known as Galactus. The idea of it was comical, as were the fancy display of super powers, but having lived in Manticore all their lives, they could somewhat relate to the super heroes' unique abilities, and of course, there were some Manticore creations that mirrored some of their powers. Although super heroes, the four still had to juggle normal problems faced by people in everyday life – in particular, how to juggle work with relationships. Reed, soon to be married to Sue, just couldn't put aside work. And all Sue wanted was a normal life.

Max couldn't completely understand why, but their situation seemed vaguely reminiscent of a life Max once knew before arriving back at Manticore. The character Sue Storm was also remarkably familiar. Her husband was obsessed with work – when his country needed him, he was there, even when they had a wedding to plan. The nerve of the guy! But apparently someone has to protect the downtrodden. Blah, blah, woof, woof. Perhaps she had faced those same issues when she was out there. If only she could remember everything.

"Hey Max – that character Sue – she looks kinda like you."

Max smiled, "Yeah, she does." Max shrugged. "But I'm prettier."

"Who has the big ego now?"

Max elbowed him in the rib.

"Ow."

"Watch it," she threatened playfully.

"Oh, so _you're_ free to mess with me, but when _I_ try to say something, I get beat up for it."

Max just smiled innocently. "Well, it's not nice to beat up girls."

Alec rolled his eyes. "But you're not just any girl," he argued.

"Really? Then what am I?"

"Uh..." Alec decided to stop right there. He had a feeling anything he said would be twisted by Max and used against him. "Whoa, I haven't seen special effects like that in a long time," he commented, turning his attention to the screen.

Max just laughed, knowing she had cornered him and he had given up. She leaned her head against his shoulders and felt his arm close a bit more tightly around her. She smiled slightly as she felt so safe and secure, something she had not felt since coming to Manticore. It was nice...

"You know, I had a meeting with Renfro earlier," Max began.

"Hmm?" Alec mumbled, apparently focused on the super hero action scene going on at the moment.

"Even she's heard the rumors about us."

Alec turned to face Max now, his attention no longer on the movie. "She knows it's not true, right?" he asked, slightly worried. If Renfro even thought it was remotely true, they would be in trouble. Manticore frowned upon relationships.

Max shrugged. "She seems to think it's false, but she also said she didn't care if we were together," Max informed with a small laugh. "I certainly was not expecting her approval."

Alec scratched his head, confused. Then he frowned. "What did she call you in for?"

Max grinned smugly. "She wanted to know how Unit 9 was doing so well."

"And you didn't tell her."

"Of course not."

"Would you tell me?"

"And ruin our advantage of surprise? No way!"

Alec pretended to look hurt.

"Oh please. Grow up."

Alec grinned as he replied, "It wouldn't matter. We'll still beat you regardless."

"We'll see."

Around them, all the transgenics occasionally glanced over to see what Max and Alec were up to, wondering if the rumors were true. Many of them were under the impression they were. Many of them also wondered why 494, the well-respected CO of the best Unit in Manticore was with a traitor. They too had heard the rumors of Unit 9's success, however, so they left their thoughts unspoken. 452 was not someone to mess with, and the same was true for 494.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

Max was eating with her unit in the mess hall when she saw her sister eating by herself. She excused herself before heading over to where Brin was seated.

"Hey," Max greeted.

Brin looked up, happy to see Max. "Max."

"We've got extra room at our table if you'd like to join us," Max informed.

Brin looked uneasily at where Unit 9 was seated. "I'm OK Max, but thanks."

Max frowned. "Come on, Brin. They don't bite," she tried again.

Brin eyed the table once more. "I don't exactly get along well with 321 and company," she finally admitted. "We'll eat together some other time," she suggested.

Max took a seat in front of Brin. "Don't worry about Joy and Ammo. Nic's not around so I think you'll be fine. Besides, I'll keep them in line," Max assured. "He won't mess with you."

"Joy and Ammo?" Brin asked, confused.

"They all have names," Max informed with a smile. "Just like we do. 321 is Nic." She then whispered why she had named him that, eliciting a chuckle from Brin. "261 is Joy, and 409 is Ammo. I _promise_ they won't bite Brin. Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone."

Brin sighed but reluctantly decided to trust Max. She picked up her tray and followed Max back to her table.

Everyone stopped talking when Max arrived with her sister. Max quickly filled the silence by introducing Brin. "Everyone, this is my sister Brin. Be nice," Max ordered.

Brin took a seat besides Max, still a bit nervous. Before a minute had passed, however, everyone in Unit 9 cheerfully welcomed her and introduced themselves. Ammo and Joy even apologized for their past behavior, asserting that Nic was also sorry for the way he treated her when she first joined Unit 8. The apology was quick and short, but it was an apology nevertheless.

Brin relaxed a bit, seeing the effort everyone was making to lighten the atmosphere. For once since her return to Manticore, she found people who treated her just like one of them instead of a traitor. She smiled and whispered a thank you to Max as the rest of Unit 9 continued telling stories of past adventures in Manticore. Max smiled in return, squeezing her sister's hand reassuringly. Maybe Brin could become the older sister Max once knew her to be.

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

After roll call, Unit 9 joined Class Charlie to train. Their victories the previous week secured their spot among other X5s. As of now, Class Charlie was made up of Unit 9, Unit 2, Unit 3, and Unit 8 (although Unit 8 still has not been readmitted back into training yet due to an analysis regarding their efficiency after the failed mission). Unit 2 was not really an active unit – the soldiers in this unit excelled in everything but military combat, including technology, first aid, engineering, and demolitions. As a result, Unit 2's training schedule was structured more around what they could do well, rather than military training. Unit 2 was also where soldiers were temporarily placed in if they fell behind for any reason. Unit 3 was currently out on a mission, so they would be absent from class for a while, but they were much worthier opponents than Unit 2.

Although officially part of Class Charlie, Unit 9's morning training schedule changed little. They still started off with hand-to-hand combat and ended with a field exercise before lunch, which would now be held with Unit 2 or 3 when possible. Their gym time had been replaced with weapons training and drills. On some days, Unit 2 trained with them, but on other days, Unit 2 would separate to allow their soldiers to advance in their specialty. Manticore didn't want to waste military training on soldiers who couldn't use them. It also meant that Unit 2 would be available for a field exercise only once a week. Unit 9 would not face off with their first X5 unit until the last day of the week.

Unit 2's absence gave the trainers more time to bring Unit 9 up to speed. They worked them harder and harder as they realized all of them were quite capable of doing the techniques they were teaching them. They assumed 452 had taught them several things during their first week together since she had been learning with Class Alpha, but they also realized that a lot of the members of Unit 9 had more potential than any of them ever realized.

645, for example, was going through the exercises with ease. It was no surprise why 452 had chosen her as second in command. She was an excellent soldier. They couldn't understand why she never stood out before. Her record was spotless from infractions, and her performance reports indicated she had a lot of potential in a lot of fields. If anyone would look at her record, they would think she was a perfect Manticore soldier. It was odd that she was never selected to undergo solo mission training, which after additional training, would grant her clearance for solo missions. Selections were made by COs who knew their soldiers best and chose only the most exceptional soldiers. Unless 645's former CO had something against her, she should not have been overlooked. Perhaps it was worth looking into.

During hand-to-hand combat, Sergeant Henders had them pair up to work on some counters.

Max had purposely paired herself up with Nic. She wanted to make a point about how unhappy she was with the stunt he pulled on Renfro that had cause him to miss out on their last exercise with the X6s. Nic tried hard to suppress a yawn as he blocked an incoming punch. He was just released this morning and as Renfro promised, he received Class A treatment. Training was going to be a pain until he could get some rest.

Max watched as he barely blocked the punch. She then noticed the bruises along his arm. She thought he had been sent to solitary. Why was he beaten? "What happened?" she asked Nic as she threw another punch, but slower.

"Hmm?" he asked sleepily.

"Nic, what's wrong with you? You were just in solitary!"

Nic yawned again before replying, "Oh, I couldn't get much sleep," he replied lamely.

"What do you mean you couldn't get any sleep?! That's all solitary is good for."

"Uhh...there were mice."

Max rolled her eyes at his obvious lie. "Nic, what happened?"

"Nothing. I told you, there were mice. They were being noisy so I couldn't sleep."

"Nic, there are no mice in solitary. They can't survive in those cells. There's no way for them to get any food. Not only that, but mice don't cause bruises that big," she noted, looking at the large bruise on his arm. "Are you going to tell me, or do I have to break your arm so you can get sent to the infirmary to get treated?" she asked threateningly.

"Alright, alright! Renfro just gave me Class A treatment, ok?"

"For putting salt in her coffee?" Max asked in surprise and suspicion. She didn't even recall being given Class A Treatment when they were trying to break her during her first week out of med bay, but it may have also been because she was still recovering from surgery. Of course, it did come later in her reindoctrination, but not immediately.

"Yes! Just leave it," Nic said dismissively.

"Nic, what aren't you telling me?" Max asked, annoyed he was trying to keep a secret from _her_ and get away with it. Naturally, she would have thought Nic to be the type to brag about what he did and how he survived the horrible conditions. Something wasn't right.

"It's nothing."

"It's something if you're not able to function during training, Nic. Tell me what happened," she said, a bit softer now.

"Renfro just wanted answers. It's no big deal."

"Nic?"

"If I didn't tell her, what makes you think I'm going to tell you?!" he retorted.

"I'm your CO. I deserve to know. We're supposed to trust each other as a unit," she argued.

"You're going to make a big deal out of it," Nic replied, irritated.

"What makes you think that?!" Max snapped, but not denying it.

"Because she wanted to know why we were doing so well!" Nic finally exclaimed, having had enough of Max's pestering.

Max froze. He was right – she was going to a make a big deal out of it. She suddenly felt guilty for being so mean to Nic, and for not having kept him out of Renfro's wrath for something she didn't tell the Director. Of course Renfro would go after Nic since she already had him conveniently locked up. She could just write it off as his punishment for the infraction he had committed earlier.

Her voice grew cold as she ordered, "Get yourself checked into the infirmary. You need rest. I'll tell the sergeant you had an accident."

Seeing the expression on Max's face, Nic couldn't argue and headed to the infirmary.

**Director's Office, Manticore**

Lydecker was escorted to the Director's office. He entered after being admitted.

"Deck, what a surprise," Renfro greeted, clearly attempting to hide her contempt for the man. "To what do I owe this...pleasure?"

Lydecker handed her a folder with the orders given to him from the Committee. "I heard you were having some problems handling things here..."

Renfro did her best to keep her anger under control. The Committee had granted Lydeceker near equal status, except he had overriding jurisdiction over their military training and missions. He also had complete control over the search for escapees as well as 452 and 734. They might as well give him back Manticore, Renfro thought bitterly. She was left with the miscellaneous tasks of Manticore's management and funding, as well as its research development.

"They weren't too pleased with the way things have been since the DNA lab incident," Lydecker explained. "Then came the failure of Unit 8, and the success of 452. They thought I could help shape things up around here, keep things under control."

Renfro closed the folder, clearly trying hard not to respond to the bait Lydecker was dangling. She handed the folder back to Lydecker. "I guess this is a welcome back then, Deck," she said, trying to look pleased.

Lydecker smiled politely in return. "It's good to be back."

"I suppose you know your way around here, so you won't be needing any orientations."

Lydecker nodded. "I expect that you will inform the rest of the Manticore? Or should I?"

"I'll send out a memo," Renfro replied, not willing to risk allowing Lydecker the opportunity to gloat about his return to Manticore.

"Good. I will be in my office if anything should arise. Why don't you forward all you have on Unit 9 to me?"

"Of course," Renfro said, clearly not pleased with the request. She wanted to hold on to any successes 452 would bring. It _had_ been her idea. Shouldn't she receive the credit?

Just then, a commotion at the door diverted their attention as 452 barged right past the guards posted outside the Director's office. She was clearly upset. Before she had a chance to say anything; however, she saw Lydecker, and everything she was going to say was suddenly forgotten.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, I've finally settled down in Hong Kong. They literally had to move the previous occupant out of my room because he wouldn't move out. Hah. Thanks for all the wishes for a good trip – I'm definitely planning on enjoying my semester abroad! It's been pretty awesome so far. Here's the new chapter everyone's been waiting for - the key word was _before_ September 3rd, hehe. Not after. 

You can see that a lot happens in this chapter, and it only leads to even more to come. It'd be awesome if you could comment on all three of the following things in this chapter: Nic, Lydecker, and the MA scene. But just one would be great too...

I hope everyone got the Fantastic Four reference I used...if you haven't watched it yet, you should! Jessica Alba's role as Sue Storm reminded me so much more of Max than any other character she's been in other movies...

Also, for all you Nic lovers out there - I'd like to throw in a thanks to one of my friends who uses the online alias Bartlet. She provided the inspiration for Nic's character, as well as some of the ideas for his...troubles.

Finally, I regret to remind you all that since school is starting now (for me, although I suppose that may be true for some readers as well...), updates will most likely be two-three weeks apart, as opposed to the usual one week apart. I won't be saying this again, since this will become normal now, but I wanted to throw in a reminder this time just in case people may have forgotten and wonder where the update is next week. This story won't disappear, and those of you who are signed up for story alerts will definitely know when it updates! But the rate of updates will decline. I hope that won't discourage reviews/reading, etc...

Thanks again to my beta, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! At the very least, thanks for reading, but please, please, please review! Last chapter's review count set a new record...imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when I finally got off that long flight and managed to get Internet access! It'd be awesome if it could be repeated...

For my anonymous reviewers:

**jondy09**: As you can see, more Lydecker in this chapter...and some Logan will be coming up soon... Thanks for reviewing both chapters. I hope you enjoyed this update!

**opalshine:** Don't fret! I'll still update while in Hong Kong! Thanks for reviewing; I hope you enjoyed this update!

**rebecca:** Heh, glad you liked Nic's prank and the teamwork. More MA coming up! Thanks for reviewing; I hope you enjoyed this update!


	13. Friend or Foe?

**Chapter 13: Friend or Foe?**

**Director's Office, Manticore**

Just then, a commotion at the door diverted their attention as 452 barged right past the guards posted outside the Director's office. She was clearly upset. Before she had a chance to say anything; however, she saw Lydecker, and everything she was going to say was suddenly forgotten.

The guards burst through the door as well, with the intention of restraining the out-of-control transgenic, but Lydecker stopped them moments before Max would break their arms.

"I'll handle it from here," he told the soldiers as they took out their tazors. "Go back to your posts."

The soldiers looked at Renfro, who simply nodded. They reluctantly put their tazors away and left.

Lydecker turned to Max, who was clearly confused by his presence. He withheld a smile as he could see from what she had just done that she had not broken. She was still Max. "Why don't you follow me back to my office...Max."

Max briefly looked over to Renfro before nodding. What she had to say to the Director could wait. She was still trying to process the emotions going through her right now as the possibilities of what Lydecker's presence could mean materialized. Not only that, but Lydecker's presence reminded her of everything else that had happened in her life, unlocking the rest of her forgotten memories. It even reminded her of Logan and the last moments she shared with him before she died on Manticore grounds. Her memory of Logan reminded her of all her other memories of Logan. Her old life was fresh in her mind, as if everything had just happened yesterday. It was quite overwhelming.

Lydecker led the way to his office. His papers and belongings were still there, as he didn't have a chance to clear out when they decided to take him out, and no one else had bothered to clear the office space. He closed the door behind him and told Max to take a seat. Max did so and waited patiently for his explanation.

"So I see you're alive and well," Lydecker began.

"Why are you here?" she asked, clearly not as patient as she imagined.

Lydecker sighed, "Not very patient, are we?"

Max crossed her arms, knowing the news wasn't exactly going to be good. "For your sake, I hope you're not giving me a reason to snap your neck in less than a minute."

"Max, they wanted me back."

"And clearly you agreed!" Max observed in disgust. "You said you wanted to take down Manticore! How could you just come back?!"

"I told you the vision I had. They're giving me a chance to make that vision real, Max, and they need my guidance. I'm the only one experienced enough with all of you to know your strengths...and weaknesses."

"So am I suppose to fear you again now that you're back to being the bad guy?"

"Max, I'm not here to make your life miserable."

"It's too late for that. You told us destroying the DNA lab would bring Manticore down! All it did was create a breeding program."

"Yes, I read about that. I'm sorry Max."

Max froze. The colonel was..._apologizing_?

"I don't need your apology," she scoffed, still being stubborn.

"Max, I only joined under one other condition."

"And what might that be?"

"That I was given control over the search for the escapees – a search, which I promise to you will not exist."

Max looked at Lydecker now in disbelief. "You're...letting them _go_?" she asked in surprise. "How do I know you're not lying?"

Lydecker chuckled before replying, "Why would I lie to you about something like this?" Lydecker had decided on the night they blew up the DNA lab together that his kids had earned their freedom. He knew his kids – they would not expose themselves. They were good at keeping secrets, and Manticore was a secret that needed to be kept. He trusted them with it. There were enough genetically enhanced super soldiers to go around. They could be spared...for now.

"I don't know. To get me to go along with some plan of yours that I have yet to realize?" she accused.

Lydecker reclined in his chair. "You're never going to trust me."

"Why should I ever trust the enemy?"

"If you want to go back to being enemies, soldier, that can easily be arranged."

Max glared at the colonel, but he had a point. She was just too stubborn to admit it. "What do you want?"

"Why don't we start by why you came barging into the Director's office in the manner you did?"

"She was unfairly punishing someone from my unit, preventing him from training with us today."

"You know soldiers don't have a say in that."

"Class A treatment for putting salt in coffee?" she questioned.

Lydecker sighed. That does sound a bit harsh. "Did she have any other reasons?"

Max looked away as she muttered, "Me. She wanted answers I didn't give her, so she tried to extract it from him."

Lydecker understood now what had happened, having heard about the pressure The Committee placed on Renfro. Renfro wanted to know how Unit 9 was doing so well. With Max being Max, when Renfro asked, she didn't tell Renfro a thing.

"You're not going to tell me either, are you?" Lydecker questioned.

"Wouldn't you rather figure it out yourself, Don?" she challenged.

Lydecker revealed a small smile. "I would, and I prefer Deck."

There was a brief silence before Max spoke again.

"Tell me something...how is...Logan?" Max asked suddenly, her voice revealing the sadness she felt.

Lydecker sighed, not wanting to be the one delivering the news, but if Max was going to be a good soldier, she needed to move on and forget the past. She needed to make amends before it was too late. "After you died...he didn't take it too well. He spent months grieving, and when he couldn't take it anymore, he jumped off the top of his building three months ago."

Lydecker knew she would want proof, so he ran an Internet search with the obituaries posted on the Seattle Post dating back from when Logan jumped.

Max covered her mouth in shock and horror. She had feared Logan would attempt suicide when he lost his ability to walk, but he didn't because she had been there for him. Now he did because she wasn't there. She sunk into her chair as grief hit her unexpectedly. A tear slid down her cheek, as she was lost in her memories of them together.

Lydecker said nothing, allowing her silence to grieve for her loss. A few minutes later, Max had composed herself. Now was not the time, especially in front of Lydecker, she reminded herself. "So I guess this is it then. As soon as I walk out of here, we go back to playing our roles," she stated without emotion. Her mask was back in place.

Lydecker nodded. "It's the only way things can be, but Max, just so we're clear, I won't let anything happen to you that you don't have coming your way," he promised.

Max knew he was referring to situations like that of her sister Tinga. She nodded in appreciation and stood up to leave. "Deck, I'm sure you know that if given the chance, I don't intend on staying, and no amount of Psy-Ops will change that."

Lydecker nodded, "I know, and I'm sure you know I'll be doing everything in my power to stop you."

Max smiled slightly, "I know." Although they were enemies, they could still be acquaintances...to some degree.

"One more thing, Max."

Max turned again to face him.

"How long did they keep you in Psy-Ops?"

Max was taken by surprise and didn't know if she wanted to reply, but she knew he would eventually find out from looking it up in her file anyway. "Seven months."

Lydecker just nodded. "Hmm..."

Max shrugged and left. There was nothing she could do about it now.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

It was the middle of the week and Unit 9 was exhausted. After seeing how well they functioned as a unit, as well as individuals, the trainers just kept pushing them harder and harder. It was pre-determined by now that Unit 9 would easily defeat Unit 2. The trainers were now training them to catch up to the other classes. Some of them even were thinking of going as far as teaching them things from Class Alpha, but only after a few more weeks of practice – perhaps before the Skills Assessment Period.

All Unit 9 wanted now was a break from work.

"God I'm tired," Dart announced. "I don't ever remember working this hard," he complained.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Tri agreed. "That's coming from former Class Alpha members."

The others rolled their eyes, but agreed. "You don't mean to say Class Alpha is easier than this class, do you?" Fin questioned.

"Well, the techniques are more complicated in Class Alpha," Dart explained. "Right now, they're just working us to death with a bit less complicated techniques."

"Well, I think I prefer complicated and less work than more work and less complicated," Ammo stated, massaging his sore muscles.

Gai sighed. "From the looks of it, they're preparing us for _something_."

"Well, the Skills Assessment Period _is_ coming up," Viper pointed out.

"That's true. But do you think they might _actually_ be preparing us for Class Alpha?" Joy questioned.

"Of course they're preparing us for Class Alpha."

Everyone turned to see who spoke. Some couldn't mask their surprise when they realized it was Kev. Kev had been passing through, or so it seemed, and had decided to input her opinion. Kev just shrugged and walked away, continuing along her way and keeping a smile to herself.

"Did Kev just speak to us?" Nic asked, surprised.

"That...she did." Ammo confirmed.

"Think she's warming up to us?" Cody wondered.

"It's Kev. Who knows," Tri answered.

"Anyone know where Max is?" Fin asked. She had been missing these few nights.

"Maybe she's with Alec," Gai mused.

"I don't think so," Joy stated. "She's been a bit down lately, kind of as if she were grieving."

"You think something may be wrong?" Nic asked. "She hasn't been picking on me as much, now that I think about it."

The others laughed and agreed. "Well, if something is wrong, it'd probably be best if we left her alone," Viper suggested. "I don't think she'll want us to bother her about it."

The others nodded in agreement.

"I've been hearing rumors that Colonel Lydecker is back with Command," Fin reported, starting a new topic.

"I can confirm that rumor," Nic declared. "I saw him while I was sneaking some supplies out of the closet."

"Why were you sneaking supplies out of the closet?" Cody asked suspiciously.

"Oh...just stocking up," Nic replied with a wink.

"Promise me if you plan on pranking Max, do it sometime after she's feeling better," Joy tried.

"What makes you think it's going to be Max?" Nic asked, looking offended. "She's our CO!"

Everyone looked at Nic in disbelief.

"You're not going after Renfro after you _just_ got out of solitary for pranking her, Nic. We all know you fear the colonel more than anyone else, so it has to be Max. You're still mad you didn't manage to prank her," Ammo explained.

Everyone gave Nic a look that was starting to make him feel slightly guilty.

Nic sighed. "Alright, alright! I won't do anything until she's not so grumpy," he said in defeat.

**Cell 421, Manticore**

Max had returned to her cell everyday for rec hour, wanting some time to herself. She held her knees to her chest, wishing to curl up into a ball and disappear. Tears slid silently down her eyes as the realization that the person she cared for outside the most was gone. The news about Logan was not easy, and she was still trying to cope with it. All she could think of were the memories they shared. She even remembered the dream she had of them together after the downfall of Manticore. It was so vivid. She never realized how much losing someone could bring her so much pain, and right now, her heart ached from a kind of loneliness she had never quite felt until now.

Her door slid open and close. Max sighed to herself – she knew only one person would have the guts to come to her when she was in this state. She held herself tighter when Alec placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"You want to talk about it?" he gently asked, taking a seat beside her.

Max shook her head and rested her head on her knees again, so Alec just sat with her in silence.

After a while, she finally spoke. "How'd you know I would be here?" she asked him.

"Well...you weren't in the gym or pool. You weren't in the rec room. You weren't above the climbing wall star gazing with your other quiet friend. You weren't in your secret 'high place' overlooking the rest of Manticore. You weren't hiding in any other place I could think of, so I finally checked here."

"So you didn't know I was here."

"Pretty much."

Max wiped her tears away and looked into Alec's eyes. They reflected a sadness she had never seen before. They were usually cheerful and heartwarming when he was with her. Now they showed concern.

"Alec...I just found out someone I really cared about died," Max began. "He was my reason for leaving this place, and now he's gone...because of me. He killed himself thinking I was gone," she cried.

Alec brought an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in for a hug. "Shh...it's not your fault. You couldn't have done anything about it anyway."

"I know...but...I just can't help but feel it _is_ my fault."

"I know, and that feeling probably won't ever go away." He paused briefly before speaking again. "I loved once too, and when she died...it _was_ my fault," he told her sadly.

Max turned to look at him now, seeing the pain in his eyes.

Alec sighed as he told a story he had told no one else at Manticore because it had hurt too much. "I was on a deep cover mission about a year ago. My cover was a piano teacher for the target's daughter. I fell in love with his daughter, but I didn't realize it until it was too late. I went ahead with my orders and placed a bomb under her father's car. It was meant to explode when he would drive her to school, taking them both out. I tried to stop her from getting into the car. I told her everything – that I was just there to do a job. I had betrayed her trust, and the look she gave me when I told her everything...it tore my heart apart. She pushed past me and tried to stop her father from getting into the car. Manticore drove up and detonated the bomb anyway, dragging me back to Manticore. I never found out what happened really happened, but I'm fairly certain she was caught in the blast. I don't think she could have survived." Alec's voice was wavering as he finished up his story, with the pain of the memory threatening tears.

"...what was her name?" she asked quietly.

Alec took a deep breath, trying his best to control his emotions. He was grateful Max didn't notice, or at least he thought she didn't notice. Finally, he found his voice again. "Her name was Rachel...Rachel Berrisford."

"May she rest in peace," Max whispered.

There was a moment of silence before Alec asked, "What was his name?"

Max was silent for a moment before finally replying, "Logan...his name was Logan Cale."

"May Logan rest in peace," Alec whispered back.

The two then spent the rest of the night together in silence as they mourned the lost. It was the closest they could have to a funeral at Manticore, and so it would do. By the time Reveille came, Max and Alec were ready to let go of their losses and move on.

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

The day finally arrived when Unit 9 would go against Unit 2. Unit 9 had been given the morning off of training the day before since the exercise was scheduled to span 6 hours in length. All of them were well rested but wondered why this exercise would take so long. When the exercise was explained, it was clear that Manticore was not only stacking the odds against them yet again, but Unit 2 would appear to have the advantage.

Rather than giving them a standard military combat training exercise, they were given a mission that was more like a puzzle, requiring various skill sets – skill sets in which Unit 2 just happened to specialize – to complete the mission objective. The mission objective was to recover sensitive data lost when a plane was shot down. The only information they had to begin with was the base from which the plane took off. All of it was fictitious, but the clues were planted for them to find if they knew where to look.

After both teams were given a laptop, some explosives, a GPS, a lockpick, a dart rifle with limited ammo, flint, and a knife, the six-hour time limit began. Only one team could accomplish the objective, however, so if the other team recovered the data, the exercise would be over.

"This is soooo not cool," Gai complained. "We're trained to be soldiers to fight – not find missing data."

"Hey, we're given explosives!" Ammo said excitedly. "Maybe we'll get to blow things up!"

The others rolled their eyes.

While the rest of Unit 9 was busy exploring what tools they had been provided, Max and Kev were already discussing a plan of action.

"Hey Cody," Max called out. "Can you log onto the mission servers and see if any digital files are available?"

Cody nodded. "I'll get on it," he replied as he took the laptop from them.

Cody logged onto the Manticore server and then again onto the mission server. All missions that had digital files were found on the mission server. The mission server would link them to another server that had been programmed just for their mission. Once Cody found their mission, he clicked into their folder and was rerouted to a welcome login screen for the military base the plane flew from.

"We have the military base," Cody informed them. "I can try hacking their radar tower database and see if I can follow the plane's path."

"OK, get on that. We won't be able to do anything until we find out where the plane crashed," Max ordered.

Kev went to go take a look at the equipment they were given. While they had nothing to go on, perhaps the tools they were expected to use would give them an idea of what to prepare for. "Ammo, why don't you take care of the explosives, flint, and knife, if we're ever to need them?"

Ammo grinned and scooped the explosives up into his arms and pocketed the knife and flint. "Gladly."

"Gai, take the GPS. We'll probably need it to find the site location," Kev suggested.

"Nic, you can take the rifle. Who wants the lockpick?"

"I'll take it," Joy offered.

Kev nodded and handed Joy the lockpick.

"The radar tower indicates the plane took off and left the base, but then it goes out of range. There might be a distress call logged. I'm looking into it now," Cody informed.

"Good. How are we doing with supplies, Kev?" Max asked.

"It's distributed. We have explosives, a knife, a flint, a dart rifle, a lockpick, the laptop, and a GPS," Kev replied.

"OK. Once we have a location, Gai will take us to the location," Max said.

"Found it...at least I think I did," Cody declared.

"Think you did?" Nic questioned.

"Well, I narrowed it down to a 1 mile radius. I found a distress call dated roughly two and a half hours after take off. Using the speed of a standard military cargo plane to calculate the distance and considering the effects of enemy fire, I determined a 1 mile radius. Maybe if I had more information, like how it was shot down, then I would have a better location, but we usually have birds to locate crash sites – something Manticore is not giving us the luxury of because it's supposed to be 'top secret'," Cody explained.

"1 mile will have to do. It's better than nothing. Let's move out," Max stated.

"We'd better hurry before Unit 2 beats us to it," Dart suggested.

Cody grinned mischievously before replying, "I don't think we'll have to worry about them. I switched out the real data with some phony data. They'll be searching 300 or so meters from the actual site."

"How do we know they didn't do that to us already?" Joy asked.

Cody shrugged. "I checked the log and searched for deleted files as well as other logins but there were none. Then again, they might have covered their tracks better than I can imagine, but – not to brag or anything – I _am_ a pretty quick hacker," Cody said proudly as he cracked his fingers.

Some grinned and others laughed before heading out. "The coordinates you gave me – it looks like we're heading towards the river. I don't like the looks of this," Gai observed.

"Well, maybe Fin will get a chance to take a swim," Nic predicted.

Of course, the data planted would ensure that the "crash site" was on Manticore grounds – it would be a while before Manticore would allow them off Manticore grounds, if ever. It also meant that the site wasn't too far from where they started. Unit 9 made their way to the crash site, with Gai leading them.

"We're entering the 1 mile radius now, heading northeast to reach the center." Gai informed.

"Tri, perhaps you could check to see if there's any signs of any wreckage," Kev suggested.

"I'm on it!" Tri said cheerfully as she scaled a tree. "I see something," she shouted down below. "It's about half a click east of here. No signs of Unit 2, so I think we're good."

Everyone smiled as their hopes increased for completing the mission objective.

"Alright, east it is," Gai said as he led the group east.

Half a click later, they discovered a burned site with several scattered pieces of metal. Clearly not a complete helicopter, but it was clear what it symbolized – a crash. A 'dead' co-pilot was also discovered among the wreckage.

"What exactly is this sensitive data we're looking for?" Viper asked as they all searched through the 'wreckage'.

"A database," Max informed.

"Where's the pilot?" Kev asked as she surveyed the wreckage from afar.

"Good question," Ammo said as he noticed the pilot was missing.

"Perhaps the pilot survived and hid the database somewhere," Fin pointed out.

Nic groaned, "Aww...why couldn't it just be here?" he whined.

"Because then it'd be too easy, and we all know how Manticore just loves to challenge us," Viper replied, annoyed. "Quit being a baby."

Gai was busy observing for tracks, and it wasn't long before he spotted one. "Hey guys, I think we found our pilot. There are some broken branches and worn leaves north of here. They can't be ours since we came from the west."

"Great. Let's go then," Max said.

"We'll run into a river if we go in this direction. Seems like an ideal place to store information," Gai commented.

Fin smiled, "Looks like I'll get that swim after all."

As they approached, it was clear that they were not the first to arrive. "Damn it," Ammo muttered. "I can't believe they beat us to it!"

"Look closely. That's not Unit 2," Joy observed. "I think it's Manticore posing as an enemy unit trying to collect the data."

"So we have to take them out?" Tri pondered.

"Have no fear, Nic is here!" Nic exclaimed as he held his rifle up. "I'll just take them out with these darts."

"There are six of them. Don't miss – you don't have any extra rounds," Max reminded.

"Of course. I didn't pass Advanced Marksmanship with flying colors for nothing," Nic grinned. "You know that."

Max rolled her eyes. Nic almost had as big of an ego as Alec. "Just concentrate," she said dismissively.

As promised, Nic took them out with no problem. They were about to head towards the site when they spotted another enemy. "I thought you took them all out," Max scolded.

"Sorry...I didn't see that guy. He must have been hiding. Besides, I'm out of darts," Nic replied, not at all too apologetic. "Oh great. There's another over there."

They all looked in the direction he pointed. "We can't let them discover the bodies," Kev stated. "Viper, Dart, can you neutralize them?"

The two nodded and headed off in separate directions while the rest of the unit advanced towards the river where the enemy had been searching. The 'pilot's' body could be seen a bit further downstream, having been washed away by the gentle currents. Blood marks covered a set of large rocks, making it obvious where the pilot had been before floating downstream.

Tri climbed to the top of the rocks and could see a hole at the top. "There's a hole here. The pilot must have dropped the database into the opening to hide it. I can hear water running though, so the river runs through this area as well. We don't know how deep it is down there."

Everyone turned to look at Ammo, who was grinning now as he got the explosives. "Well, I guess it's my turn."

Tri hopped off the rocks as Ammo strategically placed the explosives around the rocks. Everyone stood back as Ammo tried to start a fire with the flint and knife. After several more tries, he finally lit the explosives and blurred away.

A few seconds later, explosions rocked the area and the rocks tumbled, allowing them access to the once closed-off area.

"We're going to have to speed things up," Kev commanded. "Unit 2 will have heard that. They'll be on their way here now."

"I guess I'm up." Fin carefully climbed to the rocks and lowered herself into the water. It was certainly deep – she couldn't feel the bottom. "I'll be back soon," she said before taking a deep breath and disappearing into the watery depths below.

Viper and Ammo returned and reported that the enemy units were out cold. Unit 9 waited patiently for Fin to resurface, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings with hopes that there were no more enemies around.

Four minutes passed and Fin still wasn't back. Her latest record was seven and a half minutes. When the timer hit the six minutes mark, Unit 9 shifted uneasily as their anxiousness increased. Just as seven minutes was reached, they heard Fin resurface, taking in a big breath of air as she did. "I found it."

They all let out a sigh in relief as Fin revealed a waterproof case. "It was wedged a bit tightly between some rocks. Took a while to shake it loose," she explained as Tri grabbed her the box and handed it to Cody before helping Fin out of the water.

"I'll unlock it," Joy offered as she made her way to the box, taking out the lock picking tools she had taken earlier in the mission. Cody held tightly to the box as Joy worked with the tools. Within moments, it was unlocked and the database was seen inside.

"Mission accomplished, team," Max declared with a wide grin. "Great teamwork everyone!"

Everyone cheered as they all headed back to base. Unfortunately, they didn't get very far when a voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Hand it over," 813 demanded. It was Unit 2's CO.

* * *

**A/N**: Soooo sorry for the wait everyone! I've been sooo busy in Hong Kong. We have so many group projects! -- So we have so much work to do...as a result. Another huge thanks to my beta mars494! Thanks for reading and re-reading this chapter for errrors:-) And for anyone celebrating the Mid-Autumn festival, I hope you're enjoying it! I sure am! 

Thanks for all the reviews you all left! They were a joy to read! This time around, I'm curious as to what you all thought about the Lydecker/Max scene and the MA scene. Please comment!

Thanks for reading and please review!

For my anonymous reviewers:

**Canaria**: Heh, welcome! Wow, when I start a story, I generally skip the author notes until the final few chapters...Thanks for reading my author notes! lol I'm glad you err found them enjoyable, somehow...-scratches head- Rarely do I hear /that/ kind of compliment, haha. More MA scenes to come - that's for sure. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this update!

**Kim**: Mwahaha, the ending was meant to be a cliffhanger. It's my favorite one I've written for this story so far. I can just imagine the tension in the air when Max walks in and sees Lydecker, haha. What an awkward moment! But you should have your answers now with this chapter. I hope you liked it! Definitely more MA scenes to come in the coming chapters, since Logan is out of the way now...Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**ME**: Heh, I can't help but wonder if you're the same person I remember being on the DA communities years ago. Are you? Lol, of course, you may have no idea who I am talking about...Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm glad you're enjoying this story! I hope you enjoyed the update!

**random person**: Ah, I hate not having Internet. I'm not sure I could survive without it! I'm glad you're still interested in reading my stories. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you find a way to read the updates and don't get discouraged if you get too far behind. You have my sympathies for the Internet situation.

**rebecca**: Heh, well my bad. I must be insane. I'm glad you "LOVE" it then. :D Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you love this update as well...


	14. Making Ends Meet

**Chapter 14: Making Ends Meet**

"Mission accomplished, team," Max declared with a wide grin. "Great teamwork everyone!"

Everyone cheered as they all headed back to base. Unfortunately, they didn't get very far when a voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Hand it over," 813 demanded. It was Unit 2's CO.

Max turned to face him. "We got it fair and square. It's your loss."

"You cheated."

"We don't cheat."

"We would have gotten to it first had you not given us false data."

Max smiled slightly. "We had to ensure other enemy units wouldn't have access to it – a simple safety precaution. You should know that. Surely you did the same when you discovered the coordinates."

813 scowled. "We're not losing to a traitor's unit. Hand it over or we'll make you," he said threateningly. Two X5s stood nearby him, with one of them holding the loaded dart rifle they never had a chance to use.

"You think you can take us in a fight?"

"Why not? We outnumber you."

"We may have less people, but we're more than capable of handling a bunch of flunkies," Max retorted. As if on cue, everyone in Unit 9 dropped into a fighting stance, ready for combat.

"I guess we'll see about that," 813 said as he gestured for the X5 on his right to fire.

Unit 9 scattered as soon as the first shot was fired, but some of the darts hit their targets. Three of them went down and a fight ensued. Thirteen to eight – Unit 9 would be lucky if they won, but at least Max taught them a few things about fighting multiple attackers. Now would be a chance to prove what they learned.

Max headed straight for 813 as the rest of Unit 9 found their own opponents from Unit 2. Ten minutes passed and neither side yielded. With the exception of Kev and Max, the remaining members of Unit 9 fought in pairs, covering each other as each group took on three to four X5s.

Ammo and Dart were struggling with three bulky X5s while Tri and Gai fought off four of Unit 2's field meds and engineers. Viper and Nic were dealing with three of Unit 2's demolitions and stealth experts while Kev took on the CO's right and left hand men.

"Why won't they go down?!" Ammo muttered in frustration as they kicked their opponents away for the tenth time.

"They're very persistant," Dart agreed.

"And they're still not tired," Tri muttered.

"I'm getting tired," Gai admitted.

"Me too..." Tri agreed.

"Tell your unit to back off!" Max demanded as she kicked 813 in the chest.

"We're not the ones losing! Hand over the hard drive!" 813 demanded as he blurred and flipped Max on to her back.

"Never!" she replied, kicking up and punching him in the face.

Kev jumped off the side of a tree to avoid an attack but another came out of nowhere from the other X5, knocking her onto the ground. She kicked up and ducked as they aimed a kick at her head to knock her out. She was getting tired as well though, and her attackers were not showing any signs of giving up.

"You should have saved a few darts for these guys, Nic," Viper yelled as she flipped her opponent.

"Sorry. Maybe I'll remember to next time," Nic called back.

"Yeah, well, remember that next time. I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to last..." she mumbled.

"Viper, watch out!" Nic warned, blurring just in time to push Viper over.

Viper kicked the attacker away as Nic fell beside her, a knife in his side. She cursed as she examined the wound. "Those cheaters!" she cried angrily. She blurred in rage and attacked Nic's attacker, breaking the girl's arm to disable her from fighting.

Viper turned as she heard two coming up from behind her.

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

"Sir, you'll want to see this," a TAC Leader said as he entered the colonel's office.

He was brought to the security monitoring room and shown the live footage of Sector B Forest. "What's going on?" he asked as he watched the fight.

"Unit 2 and Unit 9 are on a field exercise."

"So?"

"Sir, they're not supposed to be fighting. It was a simple data retrieval."

"Then why isn't a team down there?"

"Sir, I've sent a team. They're already on their way. I just thought you would want to know, sir."

Lydecker sighed and looked at the footage again. "Do we know the cause?"

"Not yet sir, but we believe Unit 2 was trying to retrieve the mission objective from Unit 9. They intercepted Unit 9 when Unit 9 was heading back to base and fired the first shots."

"Just great," Lydecker muttered. "Thank you. I'll be heading there now."

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

Things were not looking good for Unit 9. Dart and Ammo had disabled two of their attackers, but two more came after them when Gai and Tri fell. Viper had disabled one of the two, but she was still fending off the other one. Kev had managed to disable one of her attackers, but more attacks were getting through from her remaining attacker as she grew tired. Max and 813 were still at it – neither of them seemed tired yet, but they had only been fighting each other.

The X5s were halted from their fighting when a special gas targeted specifically for transgenics was fired into the fields, rendering them all unconscious. When Lydecker arrived, he ordered the soldiers to take those who were unharmed to isolation, and those who were injured to the infirmary. He was not in the mood to sort this out on his first week back, so he decided to wait a week.

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

A week and a half later, after those injured in Unit 2 and Unit 9 had been released from the infirmary and spent a decent amount of time in solitary, they returned to training. Both units stood at attention as Lydecker prepared to reprimand them for their actions.

"What happened during that exercise is inexcusable, soldiers. Unit 2, I expected more from you. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Even if Unit 9 had willingly handed over the mission objective, did you really think we would not have known what happened? Your attempt to salvage your loss was pathetic. Not only did you engage your opponent with unfair odds, but you even used weapons to take them out. Unit 9, you should have contacted base immediately and avoided confrontation at all costs. I am very disappointed in all of you. From now on, Unit 2 and Unit 9 will train separately. No more field exercises will occur until I believe you are capable of handling things maturely. Is that understood?"

"SIR, YES, SIR!!!" both units yelled.

The colonel nodded and dismissed them, walking back to his office. After reviewing the footage of the fight, he couldn't help but watch with interest. He had read the reports of Unit 9's success, but he had not seen them in action until then – granted it wasn't under the best circumstances, but their struggle to survive against the odds was impressive. They certainly showed promise, and he would make sure they received the training they needed to advance, which was actually one of the reasons he separated the units.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

"Why do we always have to get punished for something that's not our fault?" Nic complained.

"Because they're Manticore," Ammo explained. "They like feeling they've got power. Lydecker knows there's no way we could have contacted base before they would have attacked us. Hell, we had no way of contacting base to begin with."

"Yeah, talk about unfair," Tri agreed.

"How did you guys do against them anyway?" Joy questioned, having been knocked out by a dart at the time of the scuffle.

"They were kicking our asses," Dart offered. "We sucked."

"Stop being so negative Dart," Ammo said. "We were outnumbered eight to thirteen. Of course they were kicking our asses."

Dart shrugged. "It didn't stop Max from kicking your butts when you guys outnumbered her one to six."

Ammo winced as Dart reminded them of that time when they first met Max and thought of her as a traitor. "Well, not all of us can kick ass like Max."

"Well, it's a good thing she finally did teach us a few tricks about engaging multiple attackers. I never thought it would come in handy so soon," Viper said.

They all agreed. "Is Max with Alec again?" Cody pondered.

"Most likely," Fin replied. "They're always together during free time."

"Those two are totally together and don't even know it," Tri quipped.

Everyone laughed. "Speaking of which...how are you feeling, Nic, after getting stabbed by that girl?" Ammo teased.

They all waited expectantly for Viper to say something in his defense, and she did. "She could have stabbed any of us," she replied, not realizing the trap she had fallen into.

The rest of the group snickered, leaving her confused.

Ever since Nic had saved her, Viper had been a bit nicer to Nic, no longer shoving him away. Although she didn't really notice the change in attitude she had towards Nic, everyone else did.

"Guys, that's not cool," Nic yelled, clearly not happy. "I'm feeling fine. Stop asking," he muttered.

Everyone just laughed again.

**Gym, Manticore**

"Did ya miss me?" Max quipped.

"I have to say...I_ was_ starting to get worried when I didn't see you for a few days," Alec said as he threw a punch.

"_Was_?"

"Well...yeah...then I heard you got into a fight," Alec explained dismissively. "Figured someone wasn't going to be happy."

Max quickly blocked it and returned a punch, which was immediately blocked, "Lydecker got a bit pissed when we decided to fight Unit 2 instead of walk away. Spent a few days in solitary," she explained as she attempted to kick him.

Alec easily blocked and returned his own kick. "Tough. How'd you guys do?" he asked, curious.

Max caught his kick and attempted to flip him. "Well, they took out three of us with some darts they never used. It was eight against thirteen by the time the fight actually began. All in all, we eliminated six of their people; they eliminated six of ours before Manticore came and smoked us."

"Hmm. Not bad," Alec replied with a small grin. "But you'll have to do better than that against us." Alec was thrown to the mat just as he said that.

Max smirked. "Had we a full team, I think we would have kicked their asses, and we can do the same to you. Just don't be cheap like them, OK?"

It had been a while since both of them had a real challenge, so they agreed to try out some sparring during rec hour that night. While she had been in Class Alpha, the trainers had assigned Alec to help her catch up, so Max knew all the moves he knew, and then a few she picked up outside, but Alec also knew all the moves she knew, as well as the ones he didn't show her yet. When it came down to a free spar, both of them were equally matched, using what they both knew, as well as a few new things here and there.

"I can agree to those terms," Alec replied as he kicked up and pinned Max to the mat.

Max tried to move out of his grip, but he held her tightly. "Give up yet?" he asked with a grin.

"Nope," she replied, still trying to struggle out of his grip but with no luck. She stopped struggling, waiting for him to loosen his grip.

"Oh no. I'm not falling for that trick again," he informed, still grinning and holding her even tighter.

Max scowled. The last time he had loosened his grip, she had swept him to the floor right beside her. "Fine. I give up," she mumbled.

"What's that?" Alec asked. "I can't hear you."

"Get off me, Alec!" she growled.

Alec just smirked as he slowly moved away from Max. As soon as Max could move, she flipped him onto the mat.

"Who's the cheap one now?" Alec muttered as he rubbed his head.

Before Max could flee, Alec had pulled her down beside him. "Oh no, you're not getting away so easily."

"Says who?" Max retorted, ready to get up again, but Alec just pulled her back down.

"Alec!" she whined.

"Can't we just enjoy each other's company for a bit?" he pleaded.

Max sighed and sat back down. "Something on your mind?" she asked.

"Yeah..." Alec answered quietly. "You."

Max was silent, so he continued.

"Max...everyone thinks we're together, and...I've been thinking...I wouldn't mind if it were true," he began. His heart was pumping now as he spoke the words he had been rehearsing over and over. He then quickly rushed, "But if it's too soon, I understand..."

Max looked up into his eyes and saw the sincerity of his words. She smiled and rested her head on his shoulders. "I wouldn't mind either," she quietly replied.

"Alec?"

Alec looked at Max as she took a seat. "Something on your mind?" she asked.

Alec cursed to himself as he realized he had just been imagining it all. "It's nothing," he muttered. "Just thought it'd be nice to hang out without beating each other up, you know."

Max smiled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah..."

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

After nearly two weeks of reading endless reports, Lydecker had finally caught up with everything Manticore had been up to since he had been...unceremoniously fired. As promised, Renfro forwarded him everything on Unit 9. When Renfro had pulled the misfits from each of the units, it was by sheer luck that she had pulled soldiers with strengths in multiple areas. What Renfro may not have realized was that nearly all of them excelled in three to four areas, where most soldiers excelled in at least two, although there were the pathetic few who could only do one thing well.

Lydecker supposed that being a misfit gave them time or reason to practice more on other things while their peers relaxed. Although outcasts of their former units, the soldiers of Unit 9 were not poor soldiers. They were excellent soldiers under commanders who just didn't know how to use their strengths, which is why none of them had been noticed beforehand. Max knew how to use their talents, and that was what kept the unit from failure. She knew how to make them feel important, and doing that helped her to unite them as one, leading to endless victories.

When it came down to Max, he wouldn't let her escape because it was his job, but because she was one of Manticore's best successes, and to see that all go to waste would be a pity and a failure. He headed down to the training grounds. It was the first time he had a bit of spare time to observe the X Series' training.

The day had barely begun when he arrived. Roll call was over though and Unit 9 was practicing hand-to-hand combat. All of them were aware of his presence, which he noticed threw them a bit off guard. He withheld a smile as he realized his reputation was still intact. They still feared him.

Max watched the colonel curiously from the corner of his eye as he spoke to their trainer. This was the first time she had really seen him observing them since their informal meeting a few weeks back. Although Max no longer feared him like the others in her unit seemed to, she could not act out of line just the same. He would not hesitate to punish her as he had done in the past, and that was something she could not afford. Besides, she was supposed to set a good example for her unit. If Renfro knew Max's line of thought right now, she would certainly be gloating about how Max was finally...home.

Shortly after Lydecker finished speaking to their trainer, the trainer stopped them from their practice and ordered them to line up.

"ATTENTION!"

Unit 9 scrambled into a line and stood at attention, with Max at the head since she was CO. Her soldier mask was intact, but her insides were bouncing off walls. Although she knew this moment would come where she would once again be the perfect soldier under Lydecker's orders, the actuality of it was unnerving, and she despised herself for it.

"Soldiers, I've been reviewing your performance over the past few days, from your earliest exercises with the X6s and Unit 2 to your latest progress in your courses. You have an impressive record against the X6 Units – one that few other X5 Units hold. Your victory against Unit 2 was just as impressive, and although I am not condoning fighting among units, you have clearly shown that you can hold your ground against unfair odds. Needless to say, I have high expectations for Unit 9. With the Skills Assessment Period approaching, I expect that all of you work even harder than before. Your trainers and instructors have orders to advance your training as far as they can before that time arrives. It is up to you as to how far that is. Is that understood?"

"SIR, YES, SIR!"

"452, I expect that you make sure that happens."

Max cursed to herself as he addressed her directly, implying she alone would have to respond. She didn't like it, but she said what she must. "YES, SIR!"

Lydecker nodded and walked away as he went to examine the other X Series. He knew without looking at Max that she despised the situation she was in right now. It was all too clear in her response. She may have a unit now, but she still wanted out. He only hoped he wouldn't be the catalyst to motivate her.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

Max just finished getting her food when she saw Brin wave to her, gesturing for her to take a seat. Max smiled and did so. It had been a while since they last spoke.

"Max, they found our sister!"

Max's stomach did a flip-flop, as did her smile. _That backstabbing lying son-of-a-bitch! _Max didn't care what happened to her now, but if Lydecker was going to go after one of her siblings after what he said...he'd definitely be hearing from her.

"Jondy! She's in Los Angeles."

"How do you know this?" Max asked in disbelief.

Brin frowned. "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. Not even Colonel Lydecker," she guiltily admitted. "Director Renfro's sending me on a deep cover mission to bring our sister home."

Max's eyes widened. "Renfro?!" OK, so maybe Lydecker hadn't lied...yet.

"I'm leaving in a few hours. I didn't want you not knowing where I went..." Brin began. "I'll really miss you and your unit. You all have been great to me."

Max smiled, "Your my sister, Brin."

Brin smiled and squeezed Max's hand. "Thanks...for everything."

Max nodded sadly. "Brin...are you really going to do it? Bring Jondy back?"

Brin turned her attention to Max. For once, she noticed the sadness in her sister's eyes. "I don't have a choice," she finally answered, a strange hint of sadness underlying her voice as well. Perhaps Max had gotten through to her.

"You always have a choice, Brin. Always."

Brin shook her head in disbelief. "Not here."

The next few words that came out of Max's mouth were barely audible, but Brin heard perfectly fine. "...then leave."

Brin looked away immediately. "I have a mission to complete," she replied. Her Manticore mask was back in place, masking not only the sadness she was feeling, but also the confusion that arose from Max's words.

Max sighed. "I'll never forgive you if you succeed," Max informed rather coldly as she left Brin to her thoughts.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

When Nic had asked Max to join them that night in the Rec Room, Max knew immediately it was because he had something planned. She went along anyway, seeing if this time, he would be able to trick her into falling into his trap. As she joined Unit 9 in the rec room, she shook her head in disappointment as his prank was in clear view.

She took a seat next to Kev, who had started joining Unit 9 during her free time a bit more than before. They were there to watch another pre-Pulse movie chosen by Gai this week. Just as the movie began, Kev whispered a simple phrase to Max, "Things may not be as they seem."

Max looked at Kev, an eyebrow raised but said nothing, taking the hint. She once again examined the prank Nic had set up, or at least the prank she thought he had set up. Upon closer examination, she realized it had been a decoy for a far more complex prank. She had to give Nic credit for that – it might have actually worked, had Kev not tipped her off.

As the movie finished and everyone filed out of the Rec Room, Max lingered behind, ready to confront Nic about the genius in his prank. Nic grinned, thinking Max fell for his decoy.

"So this was your idea of a prank Nic?" she asked as she held up a homemade whoopee cushion.

Nic smiled as he held up his shoulders in surrender. "Guess you caught me," he quipped.

She smiled as she asked, "So what do you want to do this time?" she asked. "More runs? Spar?" she challenged. She moved closer to him, causing him to back up a bit.

"Aww...come on! It's just a whoopee cushion, Max!" he complained. "Can't we be friends?"

Max smiled as she said, "Nope. I think it's a bit more than that," she said as she handed him the whoopee cushion, giving him a little push at that.

Nic flew backward a bit more. Just then, Nic realized where he was and cursed. "How did you know this time?!" he asked in frustration, careful not to move.

Max just smiled. "Nice try. So pick one – runs, sparring, push ups, I can go on..." she grinned evilly.

Just then, a voice interrupted their conversation.

"452, I need you in my office, now."

Max turned her attention to the door and saw that it was Lydecker. Max gave Nic a look, telling him this conversation wasn't over.

"Yes, sir," she replied to the colonel before heading to the door.

Nic sighed and was about to walk away when he remembered where he was, but it was too late. As soon as he moved, his complex prank went into motion. He knew the whoopee cushion would cause Max to confront him after the movie, so he had set up another trap for her, planning on leading her right into it after the movie, or at least set it off when she was in the right place. Unfortunately, her advances on him had unconsciously led him to back up and walk right into his own trap.

Within seconds, the slight movement on the string had caused a heavy weight to fall on several paints Nic had taken from the supplies closet. They had been angled in such a way that it would hit whoever was standing right where he was. Max turned around as she heard the weight drop and laughed as Nic was covered from the waist up in various colors of the rainbow. Nic blushed in embarrassment and even Lydecker had to try hard to withhold a laugh.

"321, why don't you come to my office as well," he replied.

Nic's heart sank at those words. This was so not how he had intended this prank to end.

"Yes, sir," he mumbled.

* * *

**A/N: **Eep, this is probably the longest break since I've uploaded this story. Sorry for making all of you wait so long! The good news is, I only have one midterm remaining, and so I should not be taking this long to update anymore. Hopefully. It's hard to say since I have plans to redo the last few chapters of this story...starting with the next chapter. Anyway, thank you all for reviewing and I am glad so many of you have continued to read this story. It means a lot to me - especially when you all leave reviews. Special thank to my beta, mars494!

I'm just curious in general as to what you all thought of this chapter - so nothing specific. Your pick - it'd be awesome if you could just leave a word or two!

Thanks for reading, and please review!

If anyone's interested in a short travel journal entry: Hong Kong has been quite an experience. I've mostly been busy with midterms this past month, but I did get a chance to see the fireworks from a boat facing the Hong Kong Harbor on National Day, and that was awesome. They had fireworks in the shape of 10s to represent the 10 year anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China. Never seen such a unique set of fireworks until I came here (they also had flowers, smiley faces, and other random shapes). I've taken up Judo and Wing Chun to get a feel for the martial arts here, and it's also given me plenty of chances to talk with the locals, which has also provided us with an opportunity for cultural exchanges.

For my anonymous reviewers:

**itra: **Glad you liked it! Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**  
**

**Austchick: **More MA coming soon! Especially after what happened last chapter...and I'm sure this chapter had some foreshadowing as well...Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**  
**

**rebecca: **Heh, not a bad prediction. Unit 9 was certainly not going to let Unit 2 take the mission from them. Hope you liked the MA scene in this chapter...? Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**  
**

**Canaria: **heh, it seems like a quick update, but only because you read it and I updated shortly after. In actuality, I think a few weeks already passed since I last updated. Hmm...not sure. Glad you liked the MA scene. How was this chapter's? Oh, I added some stuff about Hong Kong just for you! -wink- **  
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**opalshine: **Sorry for the long wait, heh. Don't cry! I hope the quality of this chapter makes up for it? -looks up hopefully- Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**  
**

**Shelly: **Welcome aboard! I'm glad you decided to start reading this piece - and I'm even happier that you're enjoying it! Max and Alec will eventually be together - I promise! There was actually a teaser in this chapter, I'm sure you noticed, haha. The wait is not that much longer! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Your reviews mean a lot! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**  
**

**JohnF: **You were one of the few that commented on the identical dialogue - I'm glad you liked it! It was something I was hoping more people would notice, haha. So I'm glad you did! Thanks for your constructive criticism. It would seem that by telling Max of her plan, Renfro decreased its chances for success, but I guess for me, as the author, I already had an idea of how much it would succeed, and so I decided to let Renfro gloat about it anyway. -shrugs- But I definitely see your point! As for the Don/Deck thing, it was a hard call for me too, and I admit that I did edit that dialogue a few times before publishing. Even now, I'm a bit uncertain about how their relationship should be written. I finally decided that since Max still wishes to escape Manticore and has not been completely turned, there is going to be some level of 'disrespect' or informality between them, which is how that dialogue came to be, but I do understand your point. Perhaps omitting it would have been the best solution. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'm glad you enjoy this story.


	15. Trust

**Chapter 15: Trust**

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

Max and Nic stood at attention as soon as they entered Lydecker's office.

Lydecker took a seat at his desk before telling them, "At ease, soldiers."

They switched to the at ease position and waited for him to speak again.

"Who wants to explain what that was about?" Lydecker asked, looking at the two X5s.

When neither of them said anything, Lydecker directed his question to Max. "452?"

"Just a team building exercise, sir," she replied.

"321?" Lydecker questioned, giving him the opportunity to provide more details.

Nic never liked the colonel much, and had done his best to stay on the colonel's good side. He had heard too many rumors – none that were too good – about him.

"A team building exercise, sir," Nic confirmed.

"No old tricks, I hope," Lydecker stated, directing his comment to Nic. "Your record indicates you enjoy pranks."

Nic was silent at that, unsure of what to say.

"Well, do you?" Lydecker asked.

"Yes, sir," Nic replied, not willing to risk lying in front of the colonel.

"Pranking your CO is a serious offense, 321."

Max wondered where Lydecker was going with this. She was surprised he had not already gotten to the point. He was certainly the kind of person to do so, unlike Renfro. Max kept her amusement to herself as Nic squirmed under Lydecker's watch. At least she knew someone Nic was afraid of.

"I didn't quite succeed," Nic replied, trying best to calm his fear.

"Clearly," Lydecker remarked, noting the mess Nic was in. "I'll make you a deal, 321. For every prank I catch you failing to pull on your CO, you earn an hour more in isolation. For every prank I catch you successfully pulling on your CO, you lose an hour in isolation. Your sentence starts at 14 hours, and you will report to isolation during rec hour for the next two weeks. If you want to stay out of isolation, no pranks."

"Yes, sir," Nic replied, not quite understanding why Lydecker had just made him the deal he did, unless he was betting that Max would never let herself get tricked into one of his pranks. He would have to change that...

"Your are dismissed 321. Close the door on your way out."

Nic saluted and left, leaving Max with the colonel. Max was surprised when the colonel switched to what she called 'civilian mode'.

"Take a seat, Max."

Max revealed nothing, but she did not like these unexpected changes from 452 to Max. She took a seat, deciding it would be best to just go with the flow.

"I suppose you were going to deal with 321 on your own before I interrupted you?"

Max nodded. "It's not the first time he's tried something. Looks like you still haven't lost your touch," she observed casually, referring to Nic's reaction to Lydecker.

Lydecker's lips twitched a bit before he said, "I hope I wasn't too lenient. I wanted to leave some room for you to make your point, and I figure you will be keeping a close eye on him from now on, so there was no point in anything too...drastic."

"So I suppose I should thank you?" she added with a light undertone of sarcasm. Nic would be trying even harder to pull off a prank on her just to impress the colonel, and they both knew it.

"Just thought it'd keep you on your toes," he replied casually.

"I'm assuming there's an important reason you called me here tonight," Max stated, diverting the conversation back the purpose of the meeting.

Lydecker sighed as he pulled out a folder. "Something's come up...that I thought you might be interested in."

Max glanced at the folder in curiosity, waiting for Lydecker to continue.

Lydecker gave Max the folder, deciding it would be better if she saw the contents instead of him explaining it. As Max opened the folder, her heart sunk. It was her brother Krit, bound and unconscious. Documents followed detailing his barcode, blood workup, and other physical features. Then she saw it – an opening price.

She looked up at Lydecker for an explanation, still not quite sure what this meant. So he gave one. "It came up on the black market today," Lydecker explained. "And _that_ would be one of the reasons why we don't want you running free. He's being sold to the highest bidder. Hell if I know how he got there in the first place, but I did find information on the auctioneer."

She flipped over a few more pages and found a profile of a man in his late forties.

"He runs many illegal operations for overseas clients. Anything he gets his hands on, he sells it for profit. Someone must have placed a request for a Manticore prototype," Lydecker informed with a sigh. "It seems they might get their wish."

"Can't you do something about it?!" Max asked, clearly voicing her concerns.

"I'm holding up my end of the deal, Max. If Manticore gets involved, there's only one way it's going to end – with him back here."

"So why are you telling me this then?" she questioned.

Lydecker was silent for a moment, clearly debating his next words. "Because...Max, I was thinking you might be up for a mission."

Max stared at him in shock and surprise. Lydecker was full of surprises. She almost didn't know the man anymore. There had to be a catch. Nothing came free.

"You just said Manticore wasn't getting involved," she argued.

"I know, and we're not. It will be off the books. No one will be the wiser. I know how important this is to you, and I'm personally not in favor of seeing any one of you being dissected by some foreign scientists...but Max, I can't let you go if I know you're not coming back."

Max froze. There it was – the catch. Strangely, the thought of escape did not register when Lydecker mentioned this mission. All that mattered to her at the time was that her brother would be safe.

"So the question is, can I trust that you will return?"

Max looked up at Lydecker, doing her best to mask her surprise. _He_ was asking for _her_ trust?!

"Just me? Not him?"

Lydecker nodded, and as if reading her thoughts, he explained his reasons, "You have a unit here to lead Max. Of the twelve of you that escaped that night, only you and Brin have survived capture – many more of you died in the struggle. Your unit was considered Manticore's best success, but also its worst failure. There's no doubt all of you who remain would rather stay outside than return here. Once you get a taste of freedom, it's hard to go back. You all lead – led – successful lives, even in this broken world. It may be that I've changed in the past year, but I would rather see those still out there live in peace contributing to society than die fighting for their freedom. I've been in the military nearly all my life, and I've learned that the best soldiers are those who want to be there, not those forced against their will."

Max just stared at Lydecker in disbelief at his short speech. She _really didn't_ know the man anymore. Max knew she could easily lie to Lydecker and take off with Krit as soon as the mission was over, but for some reason, that just didn't feel right. Maybe it was because...Lydecker was finally treating her as a person.

After some more thought, she knew that her brother was what mattered, even if it meant she would have to return here. "I'll do it. I'll be back."

Lydecker nodded and gave her all the information she needed. "It should be an easy mission. Medium security, but mostly technology and not so much manpower. You know what to do when you're done reading the files. You'll have a 72-hour window to accomplish the mission and return to base. Your transport leaves at 0600. 645 will assume command of Unit 9 in your absence."

The only thing Max could think of saying was thank you, and so she did. Max stood up to leave, shaking his extended hand.

"Good luck, Max," Lydecker said.

"Thank you, sir," she returned before heading towards the door.

"Oh, and Max, if you're not back within that 72-hour window, consider my deal with Manticore terminated, and us enemies once again."

Max just smiled and nodded before leaving. "Understood." That was the colonel she knew. He would have nothing to worry about though. She would be back – to her, returning to Manticore would be a small price to pay for her brothers and sisters' freedom.

Lydecker knew the risks he was taking by allowing Max on this mission, but he also recognized how important this would be for Max. If he intended for Max to go on missions on Manticore's behalf in the future, they would need to build a little trust. And maybe then, she won't want to leave so much – she'll realize her purpose in life and put her talents to use for the greater good.

Lydecker sighed – for now, he would trust her as promised, but if she broke that trust, he would go after her as promised. And when that happened, there would be no friendship. She would be considered a rogue, a deserter, and a disobedient soldier.

**Los Angeles, California**

734 watched quietly from the shadows as a young woman came out of a restaurant after a long day of work. There was no mistake that underneath the innocent façade, the woman was once trained as a soldier. The way the young blond casually walked towards her motorbike would appear normal to the untrained eye, but 734 knew better: the woman was on alert. 734 had found her target.

Jondy didn't know exactly why, but tonight, things didn't feel right. Nevertheless, nothing seemed out of the ordinary – she would have notice. Years of harsh military training just don't go away that easily. Still, she knew that if there was someone out there, the only people good enough to deceive her were from Manticore, and the very thought of that made her uneasy.

As she drove through the empty streets of LA, the feeling faded slightly. The adrenaline rush from riding at full speed soon overshadowed the uneasiness she felt earlier. She often used the nights to reminisce about her family and speculate what they were up to now. After Zack's last visit, she knew that most of them had escaped, living a life on the run just like her. No matter how much she nagged him, Zack never told her anything beyond the most basic and vague details about her brothers and sisters. It was for her own good, he had told her. He didn't think she would able to keep information from Manticore in the event that she would get caught, much to her annoyance.

Perhaps she wasn't that good at overcoming Psy-Ops when they were young, but no one really was – even Zack had his moments of weakness when the Psy-Ops scientists worked on them. They were children – granted, genetically enhanced children – but still children, and no matter how much you tell your mind to block out that pain, a child can only withstand so much. She only wished that Zack would realize how much they have grown. After he made them separate, they all had to learn how to live on their own. She was no longer a child now and was fairly confident she would have been able to keep a secret. But that was Zack, and she was certain even if he realized it, he would allow only himself to bare the responsibility of their safety.

As Jondy rounded the corner of a street and approached her modest post-Pulse apartment, she noticed a slight movement from the corner of her eye, and the feeling of uneasiness returned once again. It all happened so quickly, she wasn't even sure it really happened. She shrugged it off, but remained alert.

734 discretely entered Jondy's apartment through one of the windows. She wasn't exactly ready to end things yet. There was something about what Max said that bothered her. She sighed, hoping she wasn't making a mistake. A few minutes later, the door opened and her sister entered the apartment.

Before Jondy even saw her sister, she knew something wasn't right and threw her things aside, dropping into a fighting stance as she did to protect herself. When nothing happened, she scanned the room and noticed a figure standing by the window. Her feline DNA allowed her to make out her sister's Asian features.

Although still wary of this intruder, she fell back into a more neutral stance. "Brin?" she tried, hoping it was indeed her sister.

"Jondy," Brin confirmed and stepped out of the shadows.

Jondy smiled and immediately ran over to give her sister a hug, catching Brin by surprise. Brin smiled uneasily and returned the hug. Fragmented memories from their childhood leaked through the Psy-Ops induced walls that surrounded her memories of the '09 escape, as well as her life before their escape.

"Zack told me you were one of the ones that made it out! I've always wondered how everyone else was doing. How did you find me?" Jondy asked, not realizing she might have been in danger. The joy of finally meeting one of her sisters made her careless. Fortunately for Jondy, Brin wasn't planning on completing her mission quite yet.

"I...pieced together the ever so vague pieces of information from Zack," Brin lied. "You know our big brother. He never tells anyone anything! It took me forever to figure out where Max lived."

Jondy nodded in agreement. "That's Zack. He wouldn't tell me anything about any of you except maybe your most current jobs," Jondy added with an eye roll. "You found Max?! How has she been?" Jondy asked excitedly. There was no denying that Jondy had missed Max the most. The two spent the most time together when they were still at Manticore. Their shark DNA led to many late night talks. She was almost certain that Max hadn't made it when she fell through the ice. Zack never said anything about her either during his last visit, but he did admit that there were some he just couldn't find, and Max was always good at escape and evade. She knew how to cover her tracks. Jondy wouldn't be surprised if Max managed to hide from Zack.

But then another thought occurred to her. What if Max didn't escape and had been indeed captured? That would mean she was at Manticore, and if Brin found Max before Zack...something wasn't right. Jondy's smile turned to a frown as she once again placed some distance between her and her sister.

With an uneasy sigh, Jondy gave her sister a serious look, "How do I know you're not with Manticore?"

Brin frowned, feigning hurt from the accusation, but in reality, it was more of a disappointment that Jondy had known. Perhaps she said something wrong. "You don't," Brin began. "But don't you think if I were with Manticore, they would have already busted down these doors and taken you away? Don't you think I would have taken you to them without question?"

Jondy sighed, still not convinced. She had had a few run-ins with Manticore in the past, and all of them included a large team of soldiers. Still, there was no sure way to know that Brin was really the sister she once knew. Even the most brainwashed soldier in Manticore knew how to act a part. It was essential for undercover missions.

"No hard feelings?" Jondy asked. "You know I just have to be cautious..."

Brin nodded in understanding, feeling a bit guilty at the same time. "What have you been doing these past years? Glad we left?"

Jondy gave Brin an uneasy look – although she sounded like her sister, the questions she was asking did seem a bit...off.

"Yeah, I'm glad we left. I like being able to choose what to do with my life, rather than listening to orders. I like not having to wake up early in the morning for a long day of training. I like not having to be sawed up by some scientists for research purposes. Please don't tell me _you_ regret leaving Manticore," Jondy stated in disbelief.

Brin frowned and quickly shook her head. "Not what I meant at all!" Brin corrected. Now she knew why she liked being outside. Now she knew why Max still wanted to leave. Psy-Ops had made her forget, but now she remembered, and as bits and pieces of her past life flooded back to her, she knew what she had to do. "I'm glad we left! But there were some hard times in the years following our escape," Brin explained.

Jondy nodded in agreement. Brin had always been one of the more dependent ones in their unit. Tinga always reminded Brin that she needed to be more confident of her own abilities and rely on others less. So Jondy could see why Brin may have found it a bit difficult to adapt in the real world by herself. "I've been staying mostly in California. I've been to Texas and Louisiana, but I didn't like it over there, so I came back here. How about you?"

"I've been doing the same. I've mostly been staying in Seattle, but I did stay in Minnesota for--" Brin stopped as their transgenic hearing alerted them to the faint footsteps of soldiers – a lot of soldiers.

The last thing Brin remembered before the gas entered the building was the look of betrayal on Jondy's face. Brin didn't even get a chance to tell her sister that this wasn't supposed to happen, that she was indeed sent from Manticore, but that she had decided to use this opportunity to flee instead, as Max had suggested.

Although Jondy made an effort to flee, the gas rendered the two X5s unconscious before either of them could get too far.

**Cell 421, Manticore**

Max went back to her cell after her meeting with Lydecker, reading over her mission files. The mission would be easy, as Lydecker had said. The guy was paranoid and had a high-tech security system, but all she had to do was take out the power supply. Fortunately for her, the guy didn't find it necessary to install a back up power supply. Still, she would probably meet resistance when accessing the power supply, but for someone like her, what are a few goons?

Since her move to Unit 9, she no longer needed the nights to study and "catch up". It gave her plenty of time to start a new tunnel. Although she wasn't intending on using it to leave, it would allow her access to other parts of Manticore, and she never knew when such access points would be useful, so she kept her tunnel. Unlike before, where the hole she had created led to the basement, this tunnel led to an empty storage closet. From there, she was able to sneak around the guards and go to her secret "high place" only Alec knew about. It was an area on the rooftops that overlooked Manticore, allowing her to see things from a different perspective. It also reminded her when she was young and would climb out the window from their barracks to pray to the Blue Lady, and it vaguely reminded her of the times she spent on the Seattle Space Needle. It was the perfect place to burn her files, and so she did, watching the ashes scatter into the breeze. My first mission, she thought. She stayed there the rest of the night, lost in her own thoughts.

**Forest A, Manticore**

After roll call, Kev was informed that she would take command of Unit 9 in Max's absence. Although Unit 9 revealed nothing, all of them wondered where Max was. They had little time to discuss, however, as their TAC Leader announced that their schedule had been revised today to accommodate another joint field exercise. They would go through their classes in the morning and report to the field at night. It had only been a week since they were released from isolation after their quarrel with Unit 2, so it was a surprise to Unit 9 that they would be engaged in something so soon. Then again, there was only a week or so remaining before the Skills Assessment Period. The day went by quickly as Unit 9 pondered not only about their CO's absence, but also about their upcoming night exercise with the other unit.

When nighttime arrived, Unit 9 reported to one of the larger forests of Manticore. The TAC Leader explained the exercise – it was a simple escape and evade exercise. Unit 9 was the one escaping and evading, while Unit 2 would be the ones tracking, which wouldn't have been too difficult for Unit 9, but the trainers decided to make things a bit harder. Unit 2 had reinforcements – a complete X6 unit of twenty-one soldiers. If they were captured, they were authorized to use any means to escape, short from killing the soldier(s). The exercise would last five hours, and Unit 9 was given a five-minute lead as the timer began.

Kev looked at her unit – they were outnumbered three to one, and everyone knew the chances were not very good. They would just have to survive for five hours. It could be done.

"OK, they're probably going to expect us to split up and go our separate ways – it's the easiest way to avoid capture. But I think this time, it's best for us to divide into our three groups. If we're caught, it'll increase our chances of overcoming the enemy. Strategically speaking, they won't be dividing their groups down to more than six or seven soldiers per group, especially if they think we're going to split up individually or even in pairs. If we run into them, we'll at least have a chance to overcome them. Dart, take your team East. Nic, take your team North. Viper, take your team West. Remember to cover your tracks. We'll rendezvous and regroup 300 meters from the river at our usual spot. Good luck everyone. Let's move out!" Kev ordered.

The teams scattered as Kev headed in her own direction to lay down false tracks to confuse the enemy.

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

Max sped down the streets of Nevada as she made her way to the facility where Krit was kept. She used some of the money she was given for her mission to rent a motorcycle. Although she missed her Ninja, any motorcycle was better than none. Now she knew why she wanted to leave Manticore so badly those first few days of training. A few months of taking orders to "play along" and it was easy to forget that it's possible to think for yourself. She realized that after staying at Manticore for some time and adjusting to their non-changing training schedule, the yearning she had for freedom eventually died down. She knew it had to be the attachments she had formed, but it brought another question. Had Manticore won?

According to the mission files, Krit was held in the basement of a popular casino, not to her surprise. It would give anyone a good reason to have a high-tech security system, as well as some manpower. She killed the engine of her motorcycle and hid it from view before making her way to the gambling establishment. Using a PDA she had been supplied, she managed to hack into the surveillance and loop the feeds. That would hold off reinforcements as she eliminated anyone who got in her way.

Stealthily, Max crept along to find the power supply. She was surprised, however, when she saw that someone was already fighting off some bodyguards, someone that looked vaguely familiar although dressed completely in black. Syl.

As Max watched her sister in action, she noticed that these guards also appeared to hold superhuman abilities – they were particularly strong and didn't seem to register any pain. Her sister was actually struggling against the three, who had decided now would be a good time to brandish a tazer. As she zoomed in on the back of their necks, she noticed a scar where the implant had been inserted. So much for a simple mission. These Red Series Soldiers were not going to be easy. Just as a jab from a tazer sent Syl down, Max blurred from her hiding spot and kicked the tazer out of his hand, following up with a spin kick to the head. Max didn't wait though, knowing the soldier would not fall from the blow but probably just be a bit dizzy. She jumped over the guard and without a second thought, she held his head firmly and twisted it, snapping his neck. She wasn't one for killing, but she wasn't going to allow another sibling of hers to get caught.

The other two immediately rushed to attack her, seeing their fallen comrade. As Max engaged them in a fight, blocking each blow that came to her, she could see that Syl was slowly recovering. Max ducked when one guard aimed a punch at her, but a tazer out of nowhere sent her seizing onto the ground. Another kick to her stomach and head had her out cold.

**Sector A Forest, Manticore**

Lydecker headed over to the command tent that had been established to monitor the exercise. He had decided at the last minute that while Max was gone, it would be the perfect time to test Unit 9's abilities to operate under their Second in Command. As Lydecker reviewed 645's profile, there were some things that didn't seem to add up. She was an excellent soldier, so why was she not recognized before? The reports he read also indicated Unit 9 was completely capable of functioning without Max, and he wanted to see it for his own eyes.

Lydecker had handpicked the exercise himself, giving them difficult odds that were vaguely reminiscent to an escape that occurred eleven years ago. He even provided the search units with communications to Base. Of course, he was the only one who knew of the similarity, but if a time came where the results of this match would be useful, he would have the data to prevent another escape. There were many more men searching for the runaways that winter night, but what was lacking in manpower in this exercise would be made up with superior strength and speed. It was, after all, just a test run, so a little variation couldn't hurt.

As the highest-ranking officer, 813 took over control of the X6 unit, unifying them as one. As 645 had predicted, he divided them up into five groups of six or seven, distributing four or five X5s into each of the groups to lead the X6s except for one X6 unit that would be led by the X6 unit's CO.

"Alpha Team to Base," 813 began. "Search units ready. Over and out."

"Base to Alpha, we see 3 groups heading west, east, and north, and a lone soldier with no distinct path," a TAC Leader informed. "Base Over and Out."

"Alpha Team, copy that. Search units moving out. Alpha Team Out."

Base watched as the search units regrouped into six groups of five or six. Two teams were sent east, two teams were sent north, and two teams were sent west. All units were given the order to capture on sight for the lone soldier.

An hour passed as the various groups of Unit 9 continued to backtrack and cover their tracks. So far, they had not encountered any enemies, but at the rate they were going to cover their tracks, it wouldn't be long before their enemy caught up to them.

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks to all of you who have reviewed last chapter. You can probably tell from the long delay that I have been extremely busy. However, I have some good news. Classes are almost over, and the holidays are around the corner. In celebration of this, I will be uploading a new chapter within a few weeks, definitely before Christmas, if not earlier. So you all will not have to wait as long! And...(perhaps depending on reviews received, the more the better, of course), I may upload another chapter shortly after that! So yay for the holiday season.:-) 

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks a lot for reading. As you can probably tell, Alec won't be making much of an appearance for a while...Sorry! I know you all are all waiting for more MA scenes, and I promise there will be some coming, just...not quite yet. It'll be all the better when he does appear then, right? Absence makes a heart fonder? For those of you disappointed to see Jondy captured (anyone?), blame those who requested Jondy to re-join Max, heh, not me! I was surprised to receive several requests commenting on Jondy being back at Manticore. So...I made it happen. Good thing I didn't have a set plot for that yet, so I could be flexible...

Special thanks to my beta, mars494. She spotted a timeline error, to my surprise! Way to go on that!

Hope you liked this chapter! Please review! Reviews make me happy...especially after writing 20 page research papers that keep you up late into the night.

For my anonymous reviewers

**GambinosBambino**: Glad you're enjoying this chapter. Thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this update!


	16. Freedom Run

**Chapter 16: Freedom Run**

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

Max awoke moments later and found her hands had been restrained to a bedpost. As she looked around, she realized she was in a motel. Then a familiar face popped into view.

"What are you doing here?" Syl asked, apparently not happy to see her.

"I'm here to save Krit!" Max exclaimed, not understanding why her sister had restrained her.

"You died! Lydecker said you were KIA!!!" Syl yelled.

Max sighed; finally understanding Syl thought she belonged to Manticore. Well, she wasn't wrong...but she wasn't completely right.

"Syl, I did die. Zack sacrificed himself to save me...he gave me his heart," Max explained sadly. "Lydecker wasn't lying to you."

"Then you belong to Manticore," Syl replied coldly. "You've been there since and now you're here to take him back."

"Syl, I'm not here to take him back, I promise."

"You know I can't trust you. Lydecker says they reprogrammed Brin. How do I know they didn't reprogram you?"

Max sighed – how could she explain this? "Syl, the longer we stay debating about who I really am is less time we have to save Krit. If I were reprogrammed like Brin, I would be telling you why Manticore is so great and why you should come home with me."

"You're only saying that because you're the one unable to move," Syl observed in disbelief.

"Syl, those guards you're fighting, they're not just any ordinary guard."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that when I punched them and they barely flinched."

"They're known as Red Series Soldiers. The client must have put them in place to ensure there would be no interference. They have an implant in the back of their neck that connects to their brain stem, which gives them superior strength and the inability to feel pain. They were after me last year – they've been trying to get their hands on Manticore technology for a while now. I placed an implant in my own neck to fight them off, but that implant allowed Lydecker to find me last year. You're going to need my help to fight them if there are more of them in that building, Syl. You have to trust me."

"I can't, Max. How do I know that you won't double cross me and bring us _both _back to Manticore?"

"You don't..." Max sighed in defeat. "Syl, a lot has happened since we blew up the DNA lab. Yes, both Zack and me were taken back to Manticore, and yes, it was there that Zack sacrificed himself to save me. So yes, Manticore was the one that brought me back to life, and yes, I've been at Manticore since."

Syl froze as Max admitted she was from Manticore. As much as she knew that was true, the fact that Max finally said it was true did little to help make the situation better.

Max continued, noticing her sister had tensed but chose to ignore it. "Syl, I don't like Manticore any more than I did when we ran." Yet Max felt like that was sort of a lie. "They put me in Psy-Ops for seven months, Syl. I played along, hoping they would ease up and put me back with the others so I could plan an escape again, but things changed. Before I could escape, Renfro gave me a unit – she made me a CO, and I had no choice. I had to lead them well, or they would suffer the consequences of anything I did wrong. At first, I didn't care what happened to them. They were all just soldiers not willing to follow orders from a traitor. But somehow, somewhere along the way, we started getting along, and I couldn't abandon them anymore."

"You made a new family?" Syl retorted in disbelief.

"Syl, try to understand. I did what I had to do. Lydecker came back to Manticore, too."

Syl couldn't believe what she was hearing. "That bastard!"

"Syl! Just listen, please," Max pleaded. "I was ready to snap his neck when I saw him myself, but he told me he came only under the condition that he would take over the search for the escapees."

"Great! So we're running from Lydecker _again_. Just what I wanted."

"Syl, Lydecker said no search would exist."

Syl laughed, "And you believe him?"

Max was silent for a while before replying, "I do."

Syl laughed again, "You are _so_ brainwashed. I can't wait to hear you start talking about how great Manticore is!" she stated sarcastically.

She got up and was about ready to leave when Max called her back. "Syl, Lydecker sent me here to save Krit, but this mission is off the records. No one knows where I am or why I left. Lydecker never gave me the order to bring Krit in. He just wanted him away from foreign scientist like we do."

"Yeah, yeah...whatever...sis."

Syl closed to door, leaving Max alone in the motel. Max sighed and fidgeted with the makeshift restraints. Her sister could tie a hell of a knot, but Max knew how to get out of knots. They were just hard to untie with no hands.

**Sector A Forest, Manticore**

Two hours had passed and still none were captured. Lydecker watched the screen as the search units gradually closed in on the three groups. None of them had captured the lone soldier, who appeared to be monitoring the movements of the other groups. Lydecker had assumed by now that the lone soldier was 645, trying to cover the other group's tracks and lure them away.

"How far away are they?" Dart asked as Tri jumped down from a tree.

"30 meters and closing. Two groups are coming from two different directions and closing in on our location. It's like they know exactly where we are."

"Which direction should we head then?"

"They're coming from the south and east sides," Tri explained.

"Then let's head north west. If they find us, we scatter and go to ground. It'll make it harder for them to locate us," Dart ordered.

The other two nodded as they headed off again. They had been covering their tracks for a while, but after realizing it didn't seem to help much, they just continued advancing. Unit 9 had not been informed the search units would be able to communicate as one.

Ammo hopped down from a tree and reported two search units were closing in on them from two different directions.

"We have to scatter. It'll be harder for them to find us. We've only got three hours remaining and there's still a lot of ground to cover," Nic commanded.

"Kev told us to stay together though," Joy protested. "None of us will be able to fight off two groups by ourselves."

Nic sighed, knowing she was right. Their goal was to minimize casualties, not sacrifice members. "Well, we'll stay together for now, but if we're made and we end up in a fight, scatter and go to ground. They'll have to split up if they want to find us, and it'll be easier for us to avoid, and fight them, if we must, if they split themselves up too."

Everyone nodded and continued moving.

Viper's group was not as fortunate – two search units had boxed them in.

"Give it up. You're surrounded," the CO of the X6 unit exclaimed.

"I'm not liking these odds," Viper mumbled as twelve soldiers surrounded the three of them.

They all fell into a fighting stance. "You're dreaming if you think we're just going to give up," Viper declared.

Before a fight could begin, however, Kev blurred out of nowhere and knocked several of the X6s down, including the CO.

"SCATTER!" she yelled as ran into some bushes again to follow her own orders.

No one wasted any time, as Viper's group took off running in different directions while their pursuers split up in an attempt to find them.

Kev could see four X6s were pursuing her. She smirked as she dove into a ditch. They didn't even see her disappear as they ran right past her. She quickly dusted herself off and went to go check on the other groups.

Viper ran as fast as she could, blurring in and out of trees with hopes of slowing them down. As she turned a corner, she hopped over a large boulder and hid until they passed.

Three X6s and an X5 were gaining on Fin as she took off and headed towards the river. Without thinking too much, she took a deep breath of air and plunged into the river, following it downstream to evade her pursuers.

Cody managed to duck into a cave, watching his pursuers pass him. He had never really noticed this area before, but you tend to discover things when you start looking for hiding places. He started venturing into the cave. He would be safe here, for now, but if they ever found him, he would truly be boxed in. He couldn't stay long.

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

Max finally managed to untie her restraints and took off, hoping Syl didn't do anything stupid. As she headed back to the casino, she reworked her plan. It was no longer going to be as simple as she had hoped, especially with Syl there as well.

Max walked into the casino, pretending to be a drunken guest ready to lose a lot of money. Dressed in some casual jeans and a tank top, she realized how much she missed the girly aspects of life. The Manticore uniform was boring. As she stumbled around with chips in her purse, she examined the security system. There was no way she could do anything unless it was disabled. As if granting her wish, the casino suddenly plunged into darkness. A few seconds later, the back-up lights went on. Max smiled as she realized Syl must have figured out a way to the power supply. She would have to move fast, however, as the security system would be back on line within fifteen minutes, and she would once again have to hack the feed if she wanted to remained undetected on the surveillance footage.

Without wasting any time, she headed down the stairs leading to the basement, but not before knocking out a few goons who tried to stop her. As Max peered around the corner, she saw the same Red Soldiers, from before, dragging in an unconscious body.

"It's another one of them freaks," one of them muttered.

"Well, at least our boss will be pleased. Two for the price of one."

"Wasn't there another one? She'll be back for her friends."

"We'll be ready," the guy smirked. "I can't wait to get rid of that twit – he thinks he can sell our boss' merchandise without asking. They made a deal and there's no way he's backing out of this one."

"Calm down. He'll get what's coming in due time."

Max watched as the guards dumped Syl's body in a room and left to return to their posts. She blurred down the hall and took out the guard posted at the entrance of the door. She tried the door, but not surprisingly, it was locked. She took out her lock picking tools and got to work, opening the door seconds later. Max watched in amazement as she examined all the valuables the man kept in this closet. There were a few exotic creatures as well as many pieces of American art Max would have been able to fence for a fortune. She finally found Krit and Syl locked in small cages at the end of the room. Both of them were unconscious. Krit's heart rate was steady, but from the looks of it, they probably subdued him with a drug to keep him quiet until it was time for transport. Syl was just recently knocked unconscious. She had no idea how she would be able to get both of them out of here undetected. She would need a damn good distraction.

She looked at the exotic creatures around her and smiled. A few parrots stolen from the national zoo – that would be a nice one. She'd release the tiger too, but that might be a bit more risky than she'd like. She found a cart in the corner that had been used to move the...merchandise and put Krit and Syl on it after removing them from their cages. Maybe they'll believe me when they don't wake up in Manticore, she thought bitterly.

She helped herself to a few rare treasures as well as some distractions before leaving the room. She kind of missed being a cat burglar. Perhaps she would have some time to fence these for old times sake.

She stepped out of the room and peeked around, but no one was in sight, except for the guard she had knocked unconscious. She dragged him into the room and restrained him before leaving the room with the cart. She made her way to the elevator and checked her watch. Her 15 minutes were nearly up.

As the elevator arrived, she got on and went back to ground level where the crowds were throwing away their money. She smiled as she released the parrots, some rare birds, and several peacocks. She shooed them into the crowds before discretely pushing the cart with Syl and Krit through a back entrance.

Screams were heard as the animals made a ruckus in the casino. Guards immediately turned their attention to the animals and left their posts. Max checked her watch – her 15 minutes were up and the security system should be back online. She would have to hurry out. She used her PDA to hack the security surveillance feed once again and sent a virus into their system. That would destroy any data they may have stored from her time here.

Fortunately, she ran into no problems on the way out, as the distraction seemed to adequately distract the guards. She uncovered her motorcycle nearby and examined the situation. How was she going to get two other people on her bike? She sighed as she tried to slap her sister awake. There was no way she could fit both of them on the bike.

After a few smacks, her sister grabbed her hand just as she was about to slap her again and flipped Max onto her back. Her eyes widened as she realized who it was. "YOU!" she accused sharply.

Max smiled slightly but knew her presence would be unwelcome. "Look, if it weren't for me, you'd be sold to whomever ordered a Manticore prototype and shipped overseas."

Syl knew she was right and got off her sister, allowing her to stand up. "I'm not going back to Manticore."

Max sighed. "You think I would have woken you up if I was planning on taking you back to Manticore?" she asked, now annoyed. They were supposed to be a family, yet they couldn't even trust each other. Even though she clearly understood the reasons, she didn't like it one bit.

Syl then looked at her sister again. Max had a point there. "Why _did_ you wake me up then?"

Max shrugged. "I couldn't fit two of you on my bike. Someone's going to have to walk."

"Oh, _thanks_," Syl replied, but now, she was starting to believe Max's story, yet she didn't factor out the idea that Max was just waiting until they arrived back to a safe place before being met with an ambush from Manticore. "We're going to another motel though. And I've got my own bike around here somewhere so I'm not going to be far behind you."

"Look, if you really don't trust me, I'll let _you_ take Krit back and I'll go along my merry way. The mission was accomplished and I don't have to hang around if I'm not welcomed."

Syl sighed. "Max, I'm sorry. I just can't afford any risks. You understand, don't you? If you have time, I would like us to spend some time together...to catch up on things, but I'm going to have to take precautions."

Max sighed. Lydecker had given her seventy-two hours. She still had over fifty to waste. Now that she thought about it, Lydecker had given her a hell of a lot more time than she really needed to accomplish the mission...how generous of him. Well, what better way to spend it then with family?

Max smiled, "I understand. I would like us to spend some time together too, just no restraints, got it?"

Syl nodded reluctantly, but it would be a bit unfair to do that to her sister. She _did_ just rescue them. "Let's go then. I'll lead the way."

Max smiled as she sped off into the night with her siblings. It was great to be back outside.

**Forest A, Manticore**

As the three-hour window passed, Nic's group was surrounded. The three scattered before a fight broke out and any of them were captured. This led the search units to divide amongst themselves yet again as they tried to capture the three from Unit 9.

Kev watched from the treetops as three or four soldiers pursued the various members of Nic's group. Nic was engaged into a battle, but he easily fought them off and kept running. Ammo disappeared behind some bushes and went the other way as soon as a search unit passed by him. Joy was not as lucky, however, as she was surrounded by two X6s and two X5s. Kev sped in her direction to lend a hand, knocking down the X5s with a large branch she had picked up along the way.

Joy quickly knocked out the X6s and disabled them as soon as Kev arrived, using the distraction to her advantage. Kev and Joy then took out the remaining X5s and continued running.

"I'm going to check on Dart's group. Stay low, and good luck," Kev said before Joy had a chance to thank her.

Lydecker was impressed they had held out for this long against the X Series unit. It also made him uneasy that they still had not captured _one_ soldier. If Max ever did order an escape...and her unit agreed, Lydecker would be in for a challenge. He sighed as he watched Unit 9 scatter.

Thirty minutes later, Kev had caught up with Dart's group and watched as they were surrounded. They immediately took off in different directions and scattered. Tri lost her pursuers after scaling a tree – they ran right under her and didn't even notice she was above them. Dart outran them with ease and hid as they passed him. Gai tripped several of his pursuers as they passed by him and then took off in the other direction.

Kev smiled as she headed towards their rendezvous point, arriving as the fourth hour began. They would only need to last an hour more. As she watched the search units pursue the groups, however, she noticed something she hadn't noticed before. The leaders of each group had comm. units, which meant they were communicating with each other as they conducted their search – as if it wasn't unfair enough, she thought. As everyone arrived at the rendezvous point, she split them up into two groups of five. She would lead one group and Dart was chosen to lead the other group. One group would head northwest while another would head northeast. Since the search units were still divided, they would be easy to overcome if they ran into them, but seeing that they were communicating with each other, Kev knew it wouldn't be long before they regrouped as well. She told them to scatter again if they had to evade the enemy.

"Base to all teams, Unit 9 has regrouped into two groups heading northwest and northeast. Repeat, Unit 9 has regrouped into two groups heading northwest and northeast. Over and out," a TAC Leader informed the search group.

813 quickly reorganized them into two groups of 17 and sent them in the two directions. He was not pleased with the way things were going. Four hours had passed and they _still_ had not caught one soldier. This was going to look bad for his reputation, not that Unit 9 wasn't already succeeding in doing that. Unit 2 rarely did this poorly on escape and evade missions. Then again, it was hard to really compare since they rarely participated on such wide scale exercises. It's possible that the larger numbers were hindering them, right? What they were doing now was certainly not normal, not only for Unit 2, but for the other X5 units as well, and 813 knew that. If 813 didn't know better, he would think Manticore had something special in mind for Unit 9.

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

Syl arrived at a hotel a few blocks away from their previous motel. She carefully parked her motorcycle and took Krit to their rented room. Max followed suit, relaxing on one of the beds as soon as they entered the room.

"So..." Syl began, unsure of what to say. "How are things?" she tried.

Max shrugged. "Manticore's no different, if that's what you mean."

"You know...you don't have to go back," Syl suggested.

Max sighed. "I know. Trust me, Syl, I've thought about it, I really have, but Lydecker promised he would come after me if I didn't return – and not just me, but all of you too. At least if I go back, he won't be searching for you."

"Max, we've evaded Lydecker for so many years. You still can."

Max didn't doubt her abilities either, but something else was holding her back. "I know...Syl. I just...can't. I have a unit now that depends on me, and we're doing so well right now – hopefully we'll make it out on top."

Syl studied her sister, who had an expression that suggested she was thinking of just more than her unit. "Is it really just your unit?"

Max shrugged. "I've made some friends here and there."

Syl couldn't keep the suspicion off her face as she looked at Max. "Max?"

Max just looked confused as she asked, "What?"

"You like someone," Syl stated as a matter-of-factly.

"NO!"

"Yes you do," Syl grinned, seeing her little sister's immediate denial.

"I just got over mourning the death of a guy I really loved. There's no way I'm getting into a _relationship_ at _Manticore_. Besides, the guys there think too highly of themselves, being Manticore soldiers and all."

"Right," Syl replied, still not believing her. "So who is it?"

"Syyylll! It's no one."

"Then leave Manticore. Surely your unit doesn't _really_ need you, do they? I mean, they must have come from some unit beforehand and belong somewhere. Manticore wouldn't make new X5 soldiers just for you."

Syl was right in that Unit 9 really didn't need her to be there. Kev was perfectly capable of leading them, but she also promised Kev that they would one day leave Manticore together, and she was not about to break that promise.

"Syl, I promised one of them I'd help them leave too. I can't go back on my promise."

Just then, a groan was heard as Krit was slowly waking up. The two sisters got up to check on their brother.

**Sector A Forest, Manticore**

As Unit 9 went their separate ways, search units were quickly approaching behind them. It wouldn't be long before they caught up.

Half an hour later, Dart stopped his group as they heard soldiers approaching.

813 emerged within minutes as sixteen others in his group surrounded the five of them. "Looks like you're out of options. Surrender and no one gets hurt."

Dart just smiled. "Where's the fun in that?"

As if reading each others thoughts, Unit 9 blurred simultaneously to attack their opponent, taking out a few of them before running off in their own direction. The search group split up yet again as they tried to track their individual targets.

Kev's group was surrounded roughly at the same time, led by Unit 2's SIC – 702.

"You're greatly outnumbered, 645. You should tell your group to stand down. There's no way you can win now."

Kev's face remained emotionless as she looked to the others in her group and nodded. Within seconds, the group blurred to attack, taking out a few of them before scattering in different directions again. 702 sighed and divided the group into smaller groups again. She too was getting tired of this unsuccessful game of cat and mouse. It was a good thing there was only half an hour remaining.

As Unit 9 scattered again, evading the pursuers at every corner, Lydecker could tell that this little exercise would most likely end in Unit 9's favor. He sighed, hoping in the long run, Max would be on his side. If the X Series couldn't capture this unit, it was unlikely that any of his troops would. They could accomplish so much together.

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

"Krit, how are you feeling?" Syl asked as she helped Krit to sit up.

"What happened? Where am I?" he asked groggily.

"You're safe," Max replied.

"Am I dead?" Krit asked.

The two of them laughed as Krit shook his head to clear his vision. He was indeed seeing the supposedly dead Max.

"God my head hurts," Krit complained.

Syl handed him a glass of water. "They've been keeping you drugged. You're probably gonna feel a bit out of it for a while."

Krit gulped down the water before asking a bit confused, "Max, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me, Krit," Max replied with a grin. "In the flesh."

"I thought you were dead."

"It's a long story. Why don't you get some rest first?"

"I'll be fine. What happened? Lydecker said you were KIA."

Max sighed as she began telling the story again, starting from when she died to her mission to save Krit. This time, she included all the details she had left out earlier when she gave the short hand version to Syl, hoping to gain her trust. Syl eyed Max curiously as Max described the breeding program and the "jerk" she had been paired with. She could tell from the way Max described this guy though that there was more than meets the eye.

"So about this Alec guy...you said you started to hang out with him after you joined Unit 9. You two friends?" Syl asked curiously.

Max shrugged. "I guess. He's still an asshole most of the time, but we get along alright."

"Well, if you ask me, I think our Maxie here has a crush on Alec," Krit openly stated as he wrapped an arm around Max's shoulder. He certainly seemed to be feeling better after listening to Max's journey through Manticore.

Max's eyes widened as he announced that. "Why does everyone think that?! Even everyone at Manticore thinks there's something going on between us!" she cried furiously.

Syl and Krit couldn't stop themselves from laughing when she revealed that part. If people at _Manticore_ – home to soldiers who aren't supposed to know what love is – thought that, then how is there _not_ something going on between those two?

"There's nothing going on between us!" Max declared stubbornly. "It's all because of that stupid breeding program!"

"Max, you guys hang out way too much for being just friends – you're going to tell me there's not even the slightest attraction?" Krit inquired.

Max didn't respond as she thought about Alec and smiled. Syl and Krit exchanged glances before Krit smirked triumphantly.

"Shut up," Max muttered. "Besides, I'm not sure he wants things that way."

"Oh come on. You said the guy was your breeding partner, and from the sounds of it, he had no problem following orders when you two first met."

"Yeah, well I don't think any _guy_ would have problems following _that_ kind of order." She shrugged then continued, "He didn't exactly have problems not following orders either. Besides, those were just orders. He's a soldier. He doesn't want a relationship."

"You don't know that, Max," Syl replied reassuringly.

Max shrugged and decided to steer the conversation away from her. "So what have you guys been doing?"

"Well, since that DNA lab mission, Krit and I...decided to stay together. It's...nice to have someone you know close by...you know," Syl informed.

Now it was Max's turn to look suspicious. "Family's always nice," she commented casually, watching the two closely.

Syl blushed while Krit smiled dumbly.

"And you two were teasing _me_ about Alec," she laughed as she rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm happy for you two. Were you two together when that...happened?" She was referring to Krit's capture.

"Well...the last I remember I was getting groceries...then everything went black. I think they might have drugged me with a dart or something. I remember feeling a pinch before blacking out," Krit explained.

"When he didn't come home, I tried calling him, but there was no answer, so I tracked his phone and found it in a dumpster. I followed the clues left from there and tracked him down to the casino," Syl explained. "You know the rest."

"How did they know you were Manticore?" Max wondered. "They might have been watching you two for some time now..."

"I realized that," Syl stated. "Which is another reason I've been jumping around a lot lately. I haven't noticed anyone tailing me, but it doesn't hurt to be too safe."

"They might have noticed my barcode," Krit replied guiltily. "It's been a while since I've had it covered...or maybe they saw me fight off some muggers. I guess I should be a bit more careful..."

"We'll both have to be more careful," Syl suggested. "If Zack heard about this...he'd have our heads..."

Max nodded sadly as their big brother came up. "Lydecker may not be after you guys right now, but I have the feeling he's not going to let foreign companies get their hands on any Manticore technology...even if it means Manticore needs to get directly involved. As much as I love you both, I really don't want you joining me back at Manticore. So please...try to stay safe."

"Max, you know you don't have to go back," Krit reminded.

Max tried not to frown – she already had this conversation with Syl.

"I know Krit, and believe me, I would love to stay out here with you all, but I made several promises I can't break right now. I'll find a way back out here, Krit. I promise..."

"I know Maxie...just...take care of yourself, OK?" Krit sighed. "Thanks for saving me, by the way."

Max just smiled. "Anytime. Although Lydecker was the one who allowed me to leave..."

Krit frowned but nodded in understanding. "Tell him thanks as well then. How long do you have out here?"

Max looked at her watch. "He gave me 72 hours to complete the mission. More than enough time, really. My flight doesn't leave for another...43 hours, so I've got plenty of time to just...relax," she answered with a smile.

"Well, let's not waste time! How about a game of pool? I know this great bar..." Syl suggested as she started heading out the door.

The three transgenics walked into the night to share the little time they would have together.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to all of you who reviewed! As I will be going on two consecutive tours in China to Yunnan province and Shanghai, I will be quite busy these next two weeks! I assume many of my readers are quite busy as well, yet I do hope when people get around to reading these chapters, a review will be left...even if the chapter is not the most recent chapter available. Of course, everyone is busy during the holiday season, so I hope everyone is enjoying this time of year! For those of you with extra time on your hands which you have used to read this story (thank you!), I hope it has helped make your holiday more enjoyable! Happy holidays everyone, and when I return, I shall leave a brief note about my travels, for those interested. And...if I'm happy with my review count, I'll be uploading another chapter before I start school again in the middle of January...so...you know what to do. ;) Again, special thanks to my beta, mars494, who has helped me proofread and catch yet another timeline error!

Also, I generally reply to all reviews before updating, but due to time constraints, I won't be able to reply this time around, however I promise that when I return from my vacation, I will DEFINITELY reply! So **please** leave a review! I WILL reply. I am literally typing this up with roughly 12 hours remaining before I have a flight out of here:S Enjoy!


	17. Trapped

**At a reviewer's request, here is a brief reminder of the characters (for a more detailed list, visit chapter 10).**

X5-134

Alias: Gai (from the word 'guide')

Gender: Male

Specialties: tracking, navigation, and communications

Physical Characteristics: Blue eyes, blond hair, light weight with toned muscles, peachy complexion

-----------------------------

X5-157

Alias: Cody (from the word 'code')

Gender: Male

Specialties: encryption, computer/software programming, hacking, coding, hardware, engineering

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, brown hair, medium build, tanned complexion

-----------------------------

X5-863

Alias: Viper

Gender: Female

Specialties: weapons (particularly guns), general combat, tracking

Physical Characteristics: Blue eyes, black hair, light build, peachy complexion

-----------------------------

X5-729

Alias: Tri (from the word 'tree')

Gender: Female

Specialties: stealth, recon, combat

Physical Characteristics: Brown eyes, brown hair, light build, lightly tanned complexion

-----------------------------

X5-645

Alias: Kev

Gender: Female

Specialties: stealth, recon, tactical analysis

Physical Characteristics: Dark brown eyes, black hair, average build, light complexion

-----------------------------

X5-536

Alias: Dart (from his fast track record, like a flying 'dart')

Gender: Male

Specialties: combat, weapons, stealth & recon, track

Physical Characteristics: Brown eyes, dirty blond hair, medium build, light complexion

-----------------------------

X5-428

Alias: Fin (from specialty in marine operations)

Gender: Female

Specialties: aquatics (highest scores), engineering, underwater demolitions, field med

Physical Characteristics: Hazel eyes, blond hair, light build, short from pale skin

-----------------------------

X5-261

Alias: Joy (from her cheerful personality)

Gender: Female

Specialties: field med, communications, general technology

Physical Characteristics: Dark brown eyes, black hair, medium build, dark complexion

-----------------------------

X5-321

Alias: Nic (according to Max, because Nic thinks no one can 'nick' him during field operations)

Gender: Male

Specialties: stealth, recon, sniping (perfect marksmanship score)

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, black hair, light weight, tanned complexion

Other: Sent to solitary numerous times for pulling pranks on Manticore personnel as well as fellow soldiers

-----------------------------

X5-409

Alias: Ammo (from his liking for Ammo)

Gender: Male

Specialties: demolitions, combat, vehicles

Physical Characteristics: Green eyes, brown hair, medium build with well-toned muscles, light brown complexion

**GROUPS for Field Exercises**

Group 1: Dart, Tri, Gai

Group 2: Viper, Cody, Fin

Group 3: Nic, Ammo, Joy**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Trapped**

**Rec Room, Manticore**

As predicted, Unit 9 managed to last throughout the final half hour left in their exercise, with none of them getting caught. There were plenty of close calls, but somehow someone managed to come to the rescue and provide the much-needed distraction to allow them to escape. Excellent teamwork was the main reason for their success, but so was endurance. Had the exercise gone on for an hour more, Unit 9 may not have been successful.

"We totally kicked ass last night!" Dart exclaimed as they entered the rec room the following morning. They were given the morning off to make up for the sleep lost during their night exercise. It was also considered a reward for doing so well – much to the disappointment of their opponents.

"Yeah, but we would have been smoked had they extended that exercise," Joy noted. "They were closing in on us more and more frequently. There were _so_ many of them. I don't even know how we managed to last five hours."

"It's called luck," Gai grinned.

"There's no such thing as luck," Viper muttered. "Success is based on a --"

"Yeah, we know, we know, but I still like to think we were just lucky. I don't ever want to have to do _that_ again. I'm tired," Fin complained.

"Well, five hours of nonstop running will do that to a person," Nic commented.

"What the hell were they thinking anyway?" Ammo inquired. "That couldn't have been random."

"They were testing us," Kev said quietly. "You know...they're always testing us."

The group glanced at Kev, knowing she was not telling them something. They didn't push her though – she would tell if she wanted to tell them. Kev just shrugged dismissively, not wanting to dwell into the issue, but she had noticed Lydecker's presence during the exercise. He had disappeared before they officially lined up to be dismissed, but Kev saw him earlier in the Command tent. She knew he was watching them – and if he was watching them, then what they had just undergone was important. The question is – why?

"Well, that's 'cus they think we can be one of their best units!" Nic exclaimed cheerfully. "Come on guys, isn't that right?"

Everyone grinned and nodded in agreement.

"Is Max _still_ out?" Tri wondered aloud.

Everyone looked around, realizing their CO was still missing. "Good question. Where has she been?" Cody asked.

"They didn't tell me anything except that she was expected to be gone for three days," Kev informed.

"Gone? Why would she be...gone?" Dart asked, intrigued.

"You don't think it's something bad, do you?" Tri asked.

"Maybe she's on a mission," Joy suggested.

"As good as she is, she's still an 09'er. I don't think they'll let her go so easily," Cody reasoned.

"What if it's because she's a flight risk?" Gai pondered.

Everyone was silent at that. While _they_ knew Max wouldn't abandon them, Manticore certainly wasn't sure. Kev's thoughts drifted back to the exercise they had just completed. Had it been a test to see how well they would do in an escape? The thought of it made her uneasy as they certainly did quite well...what if Manticore thought _they_ were a flight risk as well?

"Nah, they wouldn't do that," Fin said dismissively, but even she doubted her words.

"We can't be sure. I mean, isn't it kind of weird that Lydecker suddenly showed up? He was in charge of the escapees. What if he's here because of Max?" Viper suggested.

Unit 9 was silent as they pondered that. It did sound quite plausible. Hopefully nothing bad was happening to Max.

"Let's not think about this," Kev declared. "Who's supposed to choose a movie?"

Unit 9 looked at Kev in surprise as she spoke up.

Kev gave a small smile as she tried to reassure her unit. She loved the looks on their faces though. Surprises certainly were fun.

Joy finally spoke up. "Well, we've all chosen a movie at least once...why don't you choose one?"

Kev was about to shake her head and suggest someone else pick one – she wasn't a fan of movies, but seeing their faces, she knew it was the least she could do. She shrugged and announced, "I'm not exactly a movie fanatic like Gai over there, so don't hate me if I choose a boring movie."

They all laughed and cheered as she inserted a Disney movie – Ratatouille. She smiled to herself as she found a place to sit and watched the movie with her unit. For once, she really felt she belonged, and it was a nice feeling.

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

After the bars, Max, Krit, and Syl spent plenty of time together hitting the other casinos in Vegas to get some more cash – not that they really needed any, but while in Vegas, what else was there to do? Max managed to fence the goods she stole from the casino for thousands, which was more than enough to keep them going.

"Man, this food just can't compare to the souped-up slop they serve at Manticore," Max announced as she downed some pizza, and later a burger. "Food's just one of the few things worth enjoying while outside – I mean, it's a bit hard to sneak stuff back in, so it's not like I can go on a shopping spree."

"Please tell me you're at least getting enough to eat there?" Syl asked as she watched Max finish up some fries.

Max shrugged. "Yeah, you do, unless they're not happy with you. Same old punishments," Max informed with a sigh. "I don't eat as much in there, but the food out here's just too good to pass up."

"You still should slow down Max," Krit reminded. "You don't want to be throwing all that up later."

Max grinned as she started on some ice cream. "I'll be fine."

"Why don't you sneak in some candy or something for your unit?" Krit suggested as he watched his sister finish her ice cream.

"Good idea, Krit. Now to find candy..."

Syl and Krit just exchanged amused looks as they followed Max into the crowded streets, searching for a candy shop. Max had told them not to talk too much about their lives, just in case Lydecker would betray her, so most of their time together involved Max talking about what was going on at Manticore. She also told them of the life she had before Manticore, with Logan and her friends at Jam Pony.

Each time she would recall a memory, it became harder and harder to accept that she would return to Manticore – willingly. The free life just called out to her too much.

The three transgenics spent the afternoon shopping – well Krit and Syl went shopping while Max just tagged along looking for anything that would be interesting. They did cross a prank store, however, and Max decided to stock up a bit there. Nic would be in for a surprise if he tried something on her, she thought with a grin.

**Gym, Manticore**

As Unit 9 went back to training the following morning, their trainers worked them harder than ever, making sure they would make up for any lost time from their "reward". There were only a few days remaining till the Skills Assessment Period, and their trainers were not relenting until they did things perfectly.

As they started some new forms, Dart and Tri exchanged glances, recognizing the techniques from Class Alpha. They discreetly spread the word about where the forms were from. Unit 9 knew they had a chance to take the lead – that was enough motivation for them to ignore the pain they felt from their intense training and work even harder.

During their rec hour that night, they all even agreed to practice some more, except for Nic, who regrettably informed them he had time in solitary for trying to prank Max in front of Lydecker. Everyone worked together in the gymnasium as they improved their forms and techniques. They wanted to make it out on top, and they were going to try their damn hardest to do so. Max would be proud.

"It's easier if you throw your punch this way so that when you kick, you can easily move your body to kick like this," Kev explained as she showed them a technique they had just learned earlier that day.

They had broken down into smaller groups as Kev, Dart and Tri went to help others who were still trying to get a hold of their newest forms.

"536,"Alec stated as of greeting.

Dart turned around and smiled at his former CO,"494." Dart nodded in acknowledgment.

Alec smiled, "Why don't you call me Alec?"

Dart nodded. "I'm Dart then."

"Dart..." Alec said, testing the name. "Suits you."

Aside from the occasional matches Max had set up with Unit 6, the two groups rarely came in contact with one another. After their defeat of Unit 2, rumors quickly spread about the rising unit. Unit 9 was no longer the laughing stock, but very few were friendly towards them. Of course, very few of the members of Unit 9 were close to anyone in their former units, so it didn't really make too big of a difference.

"Looks like we've got competition," Alec observed as he watched them going over some advanced techniques.

Dart smiled, "You can count on it."

"You like your new unit?" Alec asked.

Dart shrugged, "No fights here, so I guess so."

"That's good. You seem to be doing fine here, just the same."

"You were right about...Max, about giving her a chance. She's...a great leader."

Alec grinned cheekily. "Well, maybe I was just trying to save you from an ass kicking. Ever think about that?" he replied with a smirk.

Dart laughed. "She sure can fight. You should have seen her take on six of them."

"Yeah, she told me about that. It must have been quite a show. Not many girls can do that around here."

Dart eyed him suspiciously. "You didn't come here looking for me, did you? You came here looking for her, huh?"

Alec's features slightly reddened as Dart made his accusation. "Just wanted to see what Unit 9 was up to," he said, slightly defensive.

Dart tried not to laugh as he informed, "Max isn't here. She's been missing since yesterday. Kev...err 645, was assigned to take her place until she returned. No one knows where she's been."

Alec scratched his head, dumbfounded. "That's strange. Manticore knows though?"

Dart nodded. "It seems so. Max should be back by tomorrow though, if things go as expected. Don't worry, your girlfriend will be back before you know it," Dart added teasingly.

Alec scowled. "Not funny Dart. You of all people know we're not like that."

Dart shrugged. "Say what you like Alec, but it's pretty obvious you two like each other...at least to everyone else. And I'm not just saying that because of the rumors. Max is almost always with you when we have free time. She's been with us for a while now, and we know her just as well as she knows us. You two just can't admit it to each other."

Alec sighed. "It's complicated. Besides, I doubt she's interested. We're in Manticore for crying out loud. They don't want us to have relationships."

"Manticore or not, others have gotten away with it. You two wouldn't be the first...or last at that. There's a lot of relationships starting to blossom," Dart stated as he thought back to Viper and Nic. "I can't imagine how she would have been had she not met you during the breeding program...probably more bitter."

Alec glared at him now. "You'd better watch what you say Dart." Alec turned and left, leaving the other X5 confused.

Alec didn't want to tell him that nothing happened. He didn't trust Dart enough yet. He also didn't like being reminded that all of it had just been a mission to get Max to stay...and it had worked. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty for his part in it, even though he knew it was his duty as a Manticore soldier to do what he did. Yet, he felt as if he had taken away something from Max...something that if Max ever found out, she would never forgive him. Perhaps that was why he was so cautious of their friendship. He really didn't want to lose her...

**Las Vegas, Nevada**

During her final day in Las Vegas, Max and her siblings did some sight seeing, not really caring too much for the sights, but just happy to be together. They had considered going white water rafting in the Grand Canyon, but Max said she would being do plenty of similar activities in Manticore and would rather spend her time just relaxing. So that's what they did – they relaxed until it was time to leave.

"So I guess we really can't talk you out of going back to Alec, hmm?" Syl asked as they neared the airport.

The three had avoided the topic until now, none of them daring to disrupt the peace.

"He's not the only reason I'm going back!" Max replied defensively. "I can't just abandon my unit. You guys understand."

Syl grinned, "I'm just teasing you, Maxie."

Max crossed her arms, pretending to be angry.

"Max...just promise us you'll come back to us some day," Krit said as they arrived to the appropriate terminal.

Max nodded reassuringly. "I'll be back someday, Krit. Don't worry about me. You know I can take care of myself."

"_And_ she has Alec now," Syl added. "She doesn't need us."

"Syl, are you ever going to stop?" Max questioned, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe after you bring him back with you," Syl replied with a smirk.

Max sighed and went to get her bags.

"Max, just be careful. This is Manticore we're talking about. Lydecker may have his own agenda. You can't trust him," Krit reminded.

Max nodded. "I know, Krit. I know. We grew up with the man – I know what he's capable of, and I won't ever forget it. That's why wherever you two go next, I don't want to know. Not until I'm out of Manticore for good."

"We'll find you Max," Syl promised. "Just don't forget who you are..."

Max smiled slightly, but she knew Syl was referring to Brin. "Don't worry – they can't make me forget. They've already tried and failed."

"Yeah, but that was before Lydecker returned..." Krit stated. "Lydecker knows how to find our weaknesses..."

"Don't remind me," Max frowned. "But don't worry about me. You two worry about each other and enjoy the life you have. Take care of each other, OK? I promise we'll see each other again."

Max hugged Krit and Syl before heading into the airport. She sighed as she made her way back to hell, but Syl had one thing right – at least there was Alec.

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

Lydecker leaned back in his chair, smiling to himself over his small victory. He was watching the airport security feed he had hacked, and Max had just arrived. It was nice to see that Krit had made it out OK, and that Syl was there with them, but the two rogues weren't his goal – not anymore.

His goal was bringing Max back to Manticore, to ensure Max would be loyal to her unit, and most importantly, to know Max would be ready to serve Manticore, not just in any ordinary unit, but as one of their best. Lydecker was certain by now that Unit 9 would easily rise in the ranks during the Skills Assessment Period. The reports the trainers were giving suggested no alternative. As he watched Max leave Syl and Krit behind, he knew he had succeeded – Max was returning of her own free will, even after the extended time he had given her to give her a good taste of freedom. He had done his job well.

He would look forward to hearing her mission report. Although he had no intention of giving the Reds what they wanted, he did have a promise to keep.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

Unit 9 spent the day on the Obstacle Course, perfecting their overall times – not that they were poor to begin with. The obstacle course was a fine maze of...well, obstacles. One by one, they dashed over the hurdles, sped through the mazes, swung from rope to rope, climbed the cargo net, jumped from great heights, dodged rubber bullets, crawled under barbwire, swam through rivers, hopped through rectangular frames, went over and under logs, and crossed the finish line with a cheer from their unit.

After the obstacle course, Unit 9 was led to the rifle range to practice their marksmanship. The whole day was full of review on things they hadn't done in a long time – demolitions, parachute drops, piloting, etc. It was a relatively easy day after a hard day of work. Unit 9 all wondered when their CO would return, however. It was already lunchtime and there was still no sign of her.

"Isn't Max supposed to be back today? She's missing a lot of review..." Tri noted.

"Yeah, she is," Cody agreed. "But she probably doesn't need it," he said as an afterthought.

"True...but it doesn't hurt," Ammo stated.

"Well, she should be back by today...if she isn't then maybe something went wrong," Joy theorized.

"She'll be back," Kev reassured, ending the conversation.

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

A knock on the door signaled Max's arrival.

"Come in," he replied casually.

Max walked in, gave him the standard salute and remained at attention.

"At ease. Take a seat, Max."

Max pulled up a chair and relaxed.

"Report?" Lydecker asked, watching Max's features for any sign of emotion. He had taught her _too_ well, however, for she revealed nothing of what she thought or felt.

"Mission was successful, sir." She added the 'sir' as an afterthought, uncertain as to how informal she should be since he had done her a favor, in a sense. "I ran into some unexpected complications, as some of the security personnel on staff were actually Red Series Soldiers, but I easily worked around it and managed to complete the mission objective," Max answered vaguely, wanting to leave Syl's presence out of the mission to keep Lydecker from asking too many questions. As much as the mission seemed like a favor, she didn't know if Lydecker had other plans, and she wasn't planning on giving him a load of information to help him, just to be on the safe side.

Lydecker nodded in acceptance of her explanation. He wasn't too concerned with the details of this mission, really. Just that she had returned. "Did anyone see you?"

"The security system was out when I went in, so I don't believe anyone noticed me. Only the Red soldiers, but I'm sure they're quite familiar with Manticore already," she reported, knowing full well that Lydecker was aware of that as well, since he had asked for their assistance in tracking her down last year.

Lydecker merely nodded, showing no acknowledgment of what happened last year. "Unit 9 has missed your presence, but they've done rather well without you just the same. You've taught them well, Max. They learned a lot of new techniques yesterday – the early ones from Class Alpha. Today was mostly just review. From tomorrow onward, I've informed the trainers to really push you all." Lydecker was careful to omit the night exercise he had given Unit 9. He looked at Max and made eye contact to emphasize his next words, "I expect Unit 9 to place into Class Alpha, Max, and I expect that you will make sure you all are ready for it. Your unit is a powerful unit, Max. Because Unit 9 is smaller than most units, you have certain advantages, as well as some disadvantages, but I do have great hopes for you. I hope you do not let me down, Max."

Max was stunned into silence. In all her years at Manticore, she had rarely heard the man give a compliment. The best you could get from him was silence, but that was even rare, since he always thought it was possible to do better. He always pushed them to do better, and as she sat in front of him now, he was still doing that, pushing her to do better. He just did it in a more...compassionate...way?

Lydecker chuckled a bit, as Max said nothing, knowing he had done something unexpected. "You have nothing to say to that, soldier?"

Max eyed him suspiciously. "We will do our best, sir."

"I expect nothing less," Lydecker nodded in approval. "Is there anything else I should know about the mission?"

"No, sir."

"Well, I guess we're done then. You know where to find your unit," Lydecker waved dismissively, not even bothering with the formal military dismissal.

Max stood and gave a quick salute before heading towards the door. Lydecker always seemed to like to throw in a question around that time, for some reason.

"I forgot to ask...how's Krit doing?"

Max groaned inwardly, hoping not to discuss this. The man's unusual behavior was just too much for her, and she had no idea what he was thinking, or planning for that matter.

"He's doing well – he's enjoying life, making a living and all," Max explained, giving enough details so that he wouldn't ask, but still remaining as vague as possible.

"That's good to hear. I hope you enjoyed your time together."

Max nodded and looked back at the colonel before replying, "I did...thanks."

Lydecker smiled briefly. "It's good to have you back," he said sincerely.

Max just nodded in acknowledgment and left. As she headed out of his office, she couldn't help but feel she had just walked into another trap.

**Mess Hall, Manticore**

"Max still isn't back," Gai stated dully.

"Yeah, it's too bad. I had a prank ready and all too," Nic complained.

The others snickered. "Max already caught you on your last one. Why do you keep at it Nic?" Ammo asked.

Nic grinned. "Lydecker made me a deal."

Everyone turned their attention to Nic. "A deal?" Tri inquired.

"Yep. He said if I could prank Max successfully, then I would lose an hour off my sentence," Nic explained.

"And if you don't?" Joy asked.

"I gain a day," Nic muttered.

The others laughed, knowing he would be more likely to gain a day than lose an hour.

"Aww...come on guys! I can do it."

"Well, you better hope Lydecker sees it when you pull it off then," Cody suggested.

Nic sighed. "Right...well, I'll be ready when Max gets back. You'll see."

"Ready for what?" a voice at the door inquired.

Everyone turned their attention to the direction of the voice, recognizing it instantly.

"MAX!" several voices greeted at once.

Nic suddenly wished he were really small. "How long have you been waiting there?" he asked, turning pale.

Everyone just laughed upon seeing Nic's reaction.

Max looked at her wrist, pretending to look at a watch she wasn't wearing. "Long enough to know that you won't be ready," she replied. "You still owe me a spar, Nic."

"Aww...but Max...Lydecker is already punishing me for it. Come on, Max?" he pleaded.

"No buts, Nic. Besides, I'm sure you can always use some practice before SAP. We've only got a few days left. I hear you all have been doing well and working hard though."

Several members blushed at the praise.

"We always work hard," Dart grinned.

"So where were you Max?" Tri asked curiously.

The others nodded along, also wanting an answer.

"I had some things I had to do – nothing bad, if that's what you're wondering about. It was not a big deal," she replied dismissively.

No one else asked questions though, taking the hint.

"Well, I'm going to grab some grub and join you all soon," she said as she headed to the food lines.

* * *

**A/N**: Well, finally back home in the US. At school now and classes start tomorrow, as well as my internship, so I will be very busy! -sighs- Anyway, I hope you all had an awesome holiday season. I certainly did! And before I end this note, I will include a brief note of my travels to those interested. (If not interested, skip ahead to the little button and review please! ) 

Thanks to all who have reviewed chapter 15 and 16. I hope I have replied to all reviews by now. Special thanks to my beta, mars494, who has found time to edit these chapters during the busy holiday season! Unfortunately, I'm afraid the next update will not be for another month, but I promise that when it comes, it will be the chapter many of you have been waiting for...but you didn't hear that from me. That would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it? heh. Anyway, please review. Reviews make the world a happier place!

China (Yunnan Province, Shanghai and neighboring cities):

The places we went to in Yunnan province were rather scenic in nature, and the province itself provides a nice contrast to the more modernized city of Shanghai. We joined a tour and went to Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang. Most of our visits were to mountain scenes, river scenes, and cavern scenes. Pretty peaceful and nice. Shanghai tour went to mostly culture sites, visiting libraries, river towns, and the night scene of Shanghai. There's the brief overview. Pictures below are of places (no pics of me, heh.) If you want the full story, go to my blog.

Shanghai and neighboring cities: gwu(dot)facebook(dot)com/album(dot)php?aid2171638&l8f3d6&id23919136

Yunnan Province: gwu(dot)facebook(dot)com/album(dot)php?aid2171371&l31f47&id23919136

Blog: hktravels(dot)awardspace(dot)com

For my anonymous reviewers (chapter 15 and 16):

**blackrose9:** Thanks for your reviews (ch. 15,16)! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Random person:** Thanks for coming back to read and review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Llboo:** Glad you like this so far. Hope you like the new chapter as well!

**GambinosBambino:** Who knows...maybe Krit and Syl will work with Manticore one day. -shrugs- You brought an interesting idea to work with. :-) Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	18. SAP

**Chapter 18: SAP**

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

"The Committee will have your throat when they find you've sent out an unauthorized mission," Lydecker calmly stated.

"The mission was authorized – it was authorized by me," Renfro defended.

"You don't have that authority any more." His tone rose, as did his anger.

"The mission was a success. The Committee will thank me when they hear I brought back another rogue X5, something you spent years doing to no avail."

"You don't know what you've just done."

"Then why don't you explain it to me," Renfro demanded, not at all concerned.

"If 452 finds out about this, we will have a problem."

"You mean _you_ will have a problem, Director."

Lydecker glared at Renfro, clearly not happy with what he just discovered. "Manticore will have a problem if 452 decides she's been betrayed and enlists the help of her unit to avenge her sister. You've seen how loyal Unit 9 has become towards their CO."

"Then don't let her find out. Either way, we have another rogue X5 back, and I'm sure that 210 will be a nice addition to Unit 3. They did just lose a member. Maybe even Unit 9. After all, they are family, aren't they?"

"This isn't over. If you ever carry out another unauthorized mission, I will have you arrested," Lydecker bit out.

Renfro just smiled before leaving. "Good to know," she said casually. She didn't believe Lydecker one bit. "Oh, by the way, 734 just finished a Psy-Ops eval. I told her to meet you in your office in an hour."

Lydecker's eyes burned into the back of the woman's head as she left. She had yet again gone over his head and authorized a Psy-Ops eval on one of the rogues. She would pay.

**Gym, Manticore**

"I hope they didn't treat you too bad while I was gone," Max began, taking a seat next to Kev as she gazed at the stars that filled the night.

Kev smiled slightly. "Well, Nic behaved himself, but I don't suspect it'll be long before he tries something else."

"Oh, I'm not concerned. I've got plenty of goodies for him if he tries something," Max informed with a laugh as she thought back to all the prank stuff she brought from her time outside.

A moment of silence passed between them as each were lost in their own thoughts.

Kev finally decided to break the silence. "Things were a bit different without you around, Max. Everyone was worried Manticore might have sent you to Psy-Ops or something. There was no explanation for your absence."

Max smiled slightly. The thought that her unit had been concerned about her never crossed her mind when she left Manticore, but knowing that they had was...heartwarming. "Don't worry. I doubt I'll be heading to Psy-Ops anytime soon. Lydecker knows it won't do me any good," Max replied confidently, hoping her words were indeed true.

"I hope so," Kev murmured. She paused a bit before continuing, debating whether or not to bring it up. "There was another thing that happened while you were gone."

"What do you mean?" Max asked, curious.

"We had another field exercise against Unit 2," Kev explained.

"We crushed them, I'm hoping?"

Kev nodded, but then realized Max wouldn't have been able to see it since they were lying down, so she continued, "Yeah, but it wasn't just any normal field exercise, Max. It was a five-hour long escape-and-evade night exercise. Unit 2 also had reinforcements – an X6 unit. We were outnumbered 3 to 1."

Max was silent as she absorbed the information. "Talk about unfair odds..."

"I'm not sure if you know this, but typically most exercises like that are only against other X5 units and last two hours. Of course, most of them end up with no absolute victor, since rarely anyone is caught, but still, it's just good practice."

"So you think there was a reason behind it?" Max asked.

"...I don't know. I saw Lydecker watching us from the Command tent, and although he's been back for a while, I haven't seen him observe too many of our exercises. Then you were gone, and well, you know how we thought they might have put you back in Psy-Ops. So I was thinking, what if he was testing us?"

Max nodded, now understanding what Kev was getting at. "Maybe he was," Max confirmed with a sigh. "Exactly how did we do then?"

"We held out the whole five hours, but we had plenty of close calls. We were boxed in several times, but we managed to escape before anyone was captured."

Max smiled at that. "I guess Lydecker wasn't too pleased with the results."

"Perhaps, but I doubt we would have lasted much longer."

"It doesn't really matter, I don't think. If Lydecker was indeed testing you all, he wanted to see how you would have done if you wanted to escape Manticore."

Although Kev didn't consciously register that possibility, she knew subconsciously that it was possible. It had been a fear that she ignored, hoping Manticore wouldn't think of them as a flight risk. After all, they were afraid that Max might have been taken to Psy-Ops for being a flight risk. Manticore would want to know how Unit 9 would have performed if Max wanted to help them all escape. Kev understood. She just didn't want to admit it.

"How did we do then?" Kev asked.

Max laughed a bit. "Well, I think if we really wanted to get out of Manticore, we'd have a better plan than just running," Max honestly stated. "Not saying you guys did bad. Five hours without getting caught would probably get you far away enough from Manticore to escape. I mean, I was nine when we escaped. We had no real plan besides to run. We knew little of the outside world. It's amazing we managed to blend in, but I guess it's in our genes, you know. We're older now, and if we're going to leave as a unit, I'm going to make sure we get a bit more creative than the infamous 2009 incident. We have a record to beat. There are less obvious ways of running then hopping over the fence," Max grinned.

Kev smiled, too, now. "Are you saying you have ideas?"

"I've always had ideas, Kev, but I don't think the rest of them are ready to leave yet."

Kev sighed, but agreed, "You're probably right. I'm sure Nic still intends to prank you in front of Lydecker."

"He told everyone about that?" Max asked miserably.

Kev smiled. "Yep." Kev paused before asking her next question. "Are you going to tell me where you really went then?"

"You really want to know?"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to..." Kev replied.

"I was on a mission, but you can't tell anyone else. It was off the books, so even Manticore isn't supposed to know. One of my siblings was in trouble, and Lydecker didn't want him falling into the wrong hands."

Kev was silent, surprised by the news. "So...you didn't bring him back?" Kev inquired, realizing now why it was off the books. "And Lydecker just let that happen?"

"Yeah...I was surprised too," Max admitted. "But let's not dwell on that too much. I still don't trust Lydecker. I was going to go to the rec room to check up on everyone else. You want to come along?"

"Sure." Kev sat up and began making her way down the climbing wall. The only thought that occurred to her right now was that Max was given a chance to run, but she didn't. She had come back for them.

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

A knock at the door indicated 734's arrival.

"Come in," Lydecker answered.

"X5-734, reporting in, sir!"

"At ease," Lydecker said dismissively. He was not in the mood for this, but it was customary for him to review every soldier after a Psy-Ops eval before returning to active duty.

734 switched to the at ease position.

Lydecker looked up from his paperwork and surveyed the transgenic before him. There was not an ounce of personality in 734's eyes. Before he asked the questions, he knew the Psy-Ops eval was successful. 734 was just like any other Manticore soldier. "What is your purpose?"

"To serve Manticore, sir!"

"Finish this sentence. Emotions are..."

"-a sign of weakness, sir!"

And so Lydecker continued down the list of questions, with 734 correctly answering each and every one of them without so much as blinking. When it was over, he dismissed 734 and returned to his work. Renfro had indicated that 734 had become a flight risk, which was why she had sent 734 for a Psy-Ops eval. He couldn't help but wonder if Max had anything to do with that...

Still, if Max ever found out they had Jondy, there would be problems, and at this point in time, he did not want to think of all the problems that could arise. Not after seeing Unit 9's progress these past few weeks. It would be chaos.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

"So what do we do during SAP anyway?" Max asked her unit, while they all were busy playing a game or watching a movie during their rec hour. It was the day before the Skills Assessment Period began, and Max realized she had no clue what it really was.

"A little bit of everything," Dart began. "Every unit has a different schedule, but in the end, everyone does the same thing, just on different days and with different units."

"One day is usually dedicated to the individual tests, such as marksmanship, obstacle course times, underwater times, track times, a physical fitness test, and other things like that," Gai added.

"The other days, units are paired with another unit in a little bit of...friendly...competition, whether it be in hand-to-hand combat or field exercises," Tri explained.

"Some field exercises are not so friendly though," Ammo stated, recalling some previous exercises that ended with him in the infirmary for several days.

"While some are a walk through the park," Joy countered.

"Some may include heavy rapids, while others will require us jumping off an airplane," Fin said.

Cody smiled as he added, "Some require us to hack or download programs too."

"All in all, it can be pretty much anything. It's whatever Command is in the mood for," Nic complained. "I suspect it's going to be hard for us."

Ammo elbowed his friend. "Stop being so pessimistic."

"I'm not being pessimistic. Just realistic," Nic corrected. "Besides, you know Command's going to make things difficult for us. They've only done that since we've formed."

"That is true..." Gai observed.

"That doesn't mean we're not going to kick butt, right everyone?" Max asked.

Not surprisingly, Joy was the first to agree. "Right on!" she exclaimed.

Everyone agreed, cheering right along, except for Kev, of course, who was silent as usual. Just then, another X5 walked up to the group. It was X5-343 from Unit 6.

"I couldn't help but overhear. Looks like we have a challenge," 343 began.

"That you do," Dart assured. "Don't expect us to go easy on you." He never got along well with 343, and they often ended up in arguments back when they were in the same unit.

Surprisingly, 343 did not provoke Dart this time. He just grinned and retorted, "I'll be looking forward to it."

Dart watched 343 leave, confused by his behavior. It was rare that the two did not walk away without getting into some kind of altercation. What changed?

"What's with him?" Tri asked, just as confused. She was aware of their previous bouts. "I thought you two never got along."

Dart shrugged. "Me too. I'm just as stumped."

Max surveyed the other transgenics in the rec room. There were many scattered conversations going on – some about SAP, others about random things. There was no doubt that other units were eying Unit 9 curiously, wondering if the talk was true – if they really were _that_ good.

Well, they would just have to find out.

**Cell 421, Manticore**

As rec hour came to a close, Max headed back to her cell. She was surprised, however, when she found someone already there, eating the candy she had bought for her unit. She was intending on distributing it to them after SAP, as a reward of some sort.

"What the hell do you think you're doing in here?!" Max asked, storming into her cell and snatching the candy away from the intruder.

"I heard you got back," the hazel-eyed transgenic replied with a grin. "Nice candy, by the way."

"What gives you the right to barge into my cell, Alec?!"

Alec just grinned stupidly. "It wasn't locked or anything," he justified. "Besides, I just had to be sure I wasn't hearing lies about your return. Where the hell have you been anyway?"

Max's anger was distinguished with that question. She didn't realize how much of an effect her absence would actually have on the people around her. It wasn't until Kev pointed it out earlier and Alec's question now that she came to see she was actually missed. Then again, her unit never realized the damage they did to those they left behind when they escaped. She sighed as she took a seat next to Alec.

"I just had some things to do," Max began. "No big deal."

"Things that got you candy?" Alec asked, pressing for more details. "And these awesome prank items which I have a feeling will be an enjoyable show to watch when you decide to give 321 some payback?"

"Yeah, so what, you missed me?" Max grinned, changing the subject.

"As if," Alec snorted. "I think _you_, Max, X5-452, from the traitor class of 2009, went out on a mission," he declared confidently. "And you came back with all these goodies!" Alec grinned as he snatched the candy back from Max and started downing some more.

"HEY! Give that back!!!" Max yelled as she tried to snatch the candy from him. "I'm saving it for my unit Alec!"

Alec laughed. "Oh please. You have plenty to share," he said, pointing to the hidden stash stored behind the bricks she had sawed out.

Max crossed her arms, clearly angry. "Alec. Give. It. Back."

"Oh come on, Max. I'll share my stuff with you when I go on missions," he bargained.

"No deal."

Alec sighed and grabbed a few more candies before throwing the bag back to Max. "You're a party pooper."

That was it. Max unleashed her anger on the only person there to take it. Alec ducked just in time to avoid an incoming punch.

"Oops. Guess I shouldn't have said that," he murmured to himself. He blurred again to avoid a kick aimed at his side.

"Max, can't we talk about this?" he pleaded as he continued sidestepping her attacks.

Max just returned a rather wicked smile before replying, "Nope."

"Umph! Oww...ok please stop Max?! You've made your point. No touching the candy," Alec cried as a blow made it to his stomach. Another blow sent him to the ground. He held up his hands in surrender.

Max stopped and smirked as she took a seat on her cot. "So what brings you here? I thought you said you didn't miss me," she teased.

Alec got up and took a seat next to her. "I don't. That would be an understatement," he replied, looking into her eyes. After his conversation with Dart, he knew that he indeed liked Max, if not loved. He didn't dare admit it earlier because he was afraid of what it would mean. Now he knew it was true and nothing he would tell himself would make it false. "I hated not knowing what happened to you, Max. There were no reports of anyone in isolation or Psy-Ops."

Max realized now that perhaps her sister had been right. Maybe there was something between the two of them after all. Neither of them would admit it. Until now.

Alec continued, "Dart didn't know where you went. Hell, your whole unit had no idea where you were. I checked everywhere, including your hiding places and_still_ couldn't find you. I was afraid you might have escaped and lef–"

Alec was silenced when a set of lips enclosed his. His eyes widened in shock, but eventually, he returned the kiss, pulling Max closer to him by placing an arm around her back.

When they broke off the kiss, Max smirked. "You talk too much."

Alec's mouth was left hanging as the realization of what happened hit him. His fingers touched his lips that had just recently been kissing the beautiful woman across from him. Finally, he grinned a rather goofy grin. "Is there any more of that?"

Max just laughed and kissed him gently on the cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer to her and whispered into his ear, "I missed you too."

Alec sighed, slightly disappointed, but he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, embracing her into a hug as well. "Does this mean the rumors are officially true?" he whispered back.

Max smiled. "I guess so."

Alec grinned, enjoying their close embrace. A moment of silence passed as they listened to each other's heartbeat and breathing.

"This doesn't change things, you know. Unit 6 is still going to come out on top," Alec finally declared, breaking the silence.

Max scoffed. "Yeah right. I told you, Unit 9 is taking the lead."

Alec just smiled as they broke their embrace. "Guess we'll just have to see tomorrow then, eh?"

Max returned the smile. "Guess so."

Alec got up to leave, but before he did, he reminded, "You owe me a story. I've been looking for good candy like that for ages. You have to tell me where you got it from."

Max rolled her eyes. "Tomorrow."

Alec grinned. "It's a date."

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

Unit 9 was told their schedule the following morning, after roll call, when the drill instructors divided everyone into their units.

"Unit 9 will meet remain here with Unit 3 today for combat and field exercise evaluations. In the afternoon, you will meet with Sergeant Anderson to conduct your individual test assessments. Tomorrow, you will meet here with Unit 7 for combat and field exercise evaluations. In the afternoon, you will meet here with Unit 5 for the same evaluations. On Day three, you will have the rest of your individual assessments in the morning and meet here in the afternoon with Unit 1. Day four – you are granted a break while we analyze your performance and determine the appropriate schedule for the rest of SAP based on your performance."

It was evident that Unit 9 would not be going against Unit 2 at all. They had already proven themselves better while they were in Class Charlie. All they had to do now was prove themselves against the other units of Class Bravo. After the break, if they did well enough, they would move on to test against the other units in Class Alpha, that is, if those units remained on top of the others in Class Charlie.

After the drill instructor reviewed their schedule, Units 3 and 9 were ordered to pair up with a member from the opposing unit to begin sparring. Unit 3 had an extra person; so one person would work on forms while the others sparred. The trainers would go around assessing their techniques. Every few minutes, they rotated.

The field exercise with Unit 3 was, as Joy had said, 'a walk in the park'. It was a simple infiltration mission, where a few members were sent to infiltrate the enemy base and plant "bombs" without getting caught. Unit 9 was in and out before anyone in Unit 3 was able to get passed Unit 9's defenses.

After lunch, Unit 9 completed their track time assessments, the obstacle course, and their marksmanship evaluation. Although their overall scores weren't the best, they weren't the worst either. Nic, once again, scored perfectly in his marksmanship evaluation, and Viper was only off by a centimeter on one of her shots, while Dart topped the record for track time. Max, Kev, and Tri held record times for the obstacle course.

Day two went by quickly as they were tested nonstop. Their field exercise with Unit 7 proved a bit more difficult than the previous day. They had to send a small group to raft through some rapids in order to reach the enemy base. Whoever eliminated everyone defending the base first won. Determining who should stay and who should go was not easy, as it was known that Unit 7 had much larger numbers than Unit 9, topping off at 15 members when the average was 13. After a hard-fought, well-planned battle, Unit 9 came out the victor, but with more casualties than desired.

Unit 9's mission in the afternoon against Unit 5 required rescuing a hostage held in enemy territory. The rescuers would sky dive into enemy territory, and stealthily make their way to the enemy base. After eliminating all hostiles, the hostage would be secured and the mission would be accomplished. This exercise proved easier than the one earlier in the morning since Unit 5's defenses were weak. They had sent many more to attack Unit 9's base than to defend, thinking it would help them achieve victory faster. Unfortunately for them, they underestimated Unit 9's defenses, which although were lacking in numbers were more than capable of eliminating the enemy in record speed. Several soldiers made the mistake of landing themselves too close to the base, making it easy to be spotted by Unit 9 soldiers on patrol nearby.

The third day arrived and they finished the rest of their individual assessments. Ammo aced the physical fitness test while Fin topped the records for their underwater exercises (one exercise tested how long they could hold their breath, while another tested how long it would take for them to free themselves from restraints while underwater). Cody practically hacked the given server before the trainers could blink while Joy was the first to properly treat her "victim" in their field med exam. Gai aced their tracking and navigation exam, which required them to locate a "missing" trainer within a set time.

Perhaps the trainers arranged it intentionally, but their final exercise, before their break, would prove to be the most challenging. As the trainers gave them their instructions, it seemed rather easy, yet something didn't seem right when the trainer vaguely indicated it might last longer than the previous ones.

The two units were situated at opposite ends of the training field to allow an equidistant from the goal, but a good enough distance from each other that they should not run into each other until near the goal.

"Your mission objective is to infiltrate the enemy base and download their database. The enemy base is located west of here and marked on your maps. The first unit to do so will achieve victory. Dismissed."

Unit 9 saluted and headed west, waiting until they were out of the DI's hearing distance, before speaking.

"Something doesn't sound right," Kev began.

"I felt that too," Max thought aloud.

"You two nervous or something?" Nic teased. "This is one of the easiest missions we've ever gotten."

The others looked at their leaders, whom they trusted more than Nic. "What do you suppose is wrong?" Fin questioned.

Max shrugged. "I'm not sure. I just have a feeling this exercise really may cause us to miss dinner, for whatever reason."

"Oh come on. Just because the trainer said 'I hope you ate lunch' doesn't mean we're not going to have dinner. You're over analyzing it! He's just implying we should have energy," Nic argued.

Max and Kev sighed, still uncertain. "It's not only that. Something just doesn't feel right. Well, since it is an easy mission, we don't all need to go. Dart, I want your group to remain behind, just in case anything does go wrong. Stay in the shadows and observe from afar. If Unit 1 tries to come up from behind, stall. Viper, take your group and infiltrate the building to download the database. Nic, take your group and eliminate any scouts, patrols, and enemy defense teams. Provide cover for Viper. Kev and I will remain in between Dart's group and the enemy base to watch for anything out of the ordinary," Max ordered.

They all nodded and broke up into their groups. Viper and Nic's groups left together, moving ahead of the others. Max and Kev moved cautiously forward. Dart's group covered them from behind. There was still no sign of Unit 1.

"Hey Vip," Nic began. "You up for a movie this weekend?" he asked conversationally.

"Shut up, we're in the middle of an exercise, for crying out loud!" Viper reprimanded.

"Aww, come on Vip. It's just an exercise. Movie this weekend? Yes or no? It's easy to answer," Nic tried.

"I'll tell you after we complete this exercise Nic," Viper said, trying to keep her cool. "But please, stop talking!"

Nic sighed. Viper was always so uptight. That's why he had pranked her to begin with. She needed to learn to have fun and relax. "Fine, after this mission then, Viper," Nic muttered.

As they neared the base, there were still no signs of Unit 1. It was clear they were the first to arrive. They had already won the mission, in a sense.

Viper and Nic's groups worked together to eliminate the defenses, including any patrols. Max and Kev helped eliminate any the groups had missed as they advanced towards the enemy base. Dart's group remained hidden, watching for anything out of the ordinary. Unit 1 still had not arrived – would that be considered out of the ordinary?

As soon as they were clear, Viper's group entered the enemy base and quickly found its way to the basement where the database was kept. Cody got to work and began transferring the data.

Nic's group had finished eliminating the few enemy patrols and was now heading down to the room as well. That turned out to be a bad idea, for as soon as they entered the building, the doors locked tightly behind them and the building released a sleeping gas.

Dart's eyes widened at the sudden change of events. "Shit. That's definitely not normal. We should tell Max."

Max and Kev turned their attention to the building that suddenly shut down. Unfortunately, they didn't notice the tazers that seemed to come out of nowhere. They were out before they even saw their attacker.

"We can't," Tri declared from her perch on the tree. "Unit 1's here. They've been hiding, which is why we didn't see them earlier. I just saw two of their members blur to attack Max and Kev. They had tazers. Max and Kev are out cold."

"Uh...where are the others then?" Gai asked uneasily.

Tri hopped down. "They're coming right for us."

"Oh...crap. Let's scatter and rendezvous 100 meters southeast of the Nest Rock," Dart ordered. "Back to escaping and evading," he muttered with a sigh.

Tri and Gai nodded before taking off. This was definitely unexpected.

**Enemy Base, Manticore**

When Max awoke, she couldn't see anything. As her pupils dilated to adjust to the darkness, she realized she was lying on the ground of a small cell. She assumed she had been captured and was probably being held at the enemy base. After recalling the lockdown the building faced, it can only be assumed that Viper and Nic's groups were captured as well.

Hopefully Dart's group is OK, and maybe Kev made it out alright, Max hoped. So much for an easy exercise.

Max moved to a sitting position and reclined against the wall. Her hands were handcuffed behind her while her feet had been chained. Manticore just created another excuse to torture them – all in the name of testing. She should have known.

A few minutes later, Max's cell opened and a figure entered, bringing her to her feet. She didn't bother resisting – she had no way of knowing where to go even if she escaped. Attempting escape at this point in time would be unwise.

Max's night vision revealed the figure was another transgenic, most likely from Unit 1, she thought bitterly.

The female transgenic led Max into a larger room and tossed her into the center. Another transgenic took a step forward and spoke.

"X5-452, it's a pleasure to meet you," the male transgenic smirked. "We were told your unit beat us to the mission objective already. Unfortunately for you, we were given a chance to redeem ourselves. Our new mission objective is to extract as much information from your captured unit mates before midnight. That gives us nearly ten hours – more than enough time, I can assure you."

Max could only laugh at his statement. "You're telling me you actually believe you can redeem yourself? If you haven't heard, Unit 9 holds quite a record. Whether you extract information or not, you're not going to be in the lead."

"I'm sure we both can agree to disagree. So have you met the other members of my unit, 452? I should mention...we don't appreciate traitors in our midst."

Before Max could reply to that statement, her body hit the floor from a blow a nearby transgenic dealt. And so it would begin.

**Basement Cells, Manticore**

The locks turned and the door opened. Two soldiers accompanied Renfro as she entered the cell.

Jondy remained seated; she was determined to not let them get to her. They had taught her how, and she was certainly going to use it.

"Get up," Renfro ordered.

Jondy ignored her; so Renfro signaled the two soldiers to...assist her. The two soldiers quickly approached her, powering their tazers as they approached. A few minutes later, Jondy was glaring at the former Director and trying her best to not give her any satisfaction. She could tell from just the first few minutes that the woman thrived off of power. The tazers had weakened her – as if a few days without food and water wasn't enough, so the soldiers were now holding her up to stand before Renfro.

"Your sisters will be pleased to know you're back home," Renfro began. She knew that the primary weakness of the rogue X5s were each other. They cared too much about the others in their 'family', and she was certainly planning on using it to her advantage.

Jondy's eyes softened for a moment, hearing that Brin wasn't the only one Manticore got to, but quickly turned into an icy glare when she realized the woman was doing it on purpose. "This will never be my home," Jondy spat.

Renfro smiled, knowing that her statement had gotten to the X5. "452 is doing quite well, you know. She'd make your brother Zack proud, leading her own unit. They're even one of Manticore's best now, in spite of their below-average numbers. Perhaps we can send you to her unit after you are cleared. Her unit is lacking a few members, so I'm sure she could use another soldier."

Jondy's heart sunk, hearing her best friend and sister had been taken back by Manticore. Who else did Manticore get to? One thing was certain, however: she would try her damn hardest to resist. Manticore could not win. "I will never be a solider for Manticore."

Renfro just smiled. "We'll see about that." She then directed her orders to the soldiers. "Take her to Psy-Ops. It's time."

With every attempt to free herself, Jondy was met with the excruciating pain from a tazer's jab.

* * *

** A/N:** Well, here's the update. I hope it meets your expectations. I promised it was the one everyone was waiting for, and after reading it through now before uploading it, I really do hope it was OK, but I fear I may have brought your hopes up a bit too much...Let me know...

Anyway, I'll be uploading the next one roughly a month from now as well, most likely some time near the beginning of April. I'm using the deadline of my 5, 3-page paper assignments in one of my classes to guide me, haha, since that's the class that I have to write the most for, which resultantly takes up a lot of my time.

A lot happened in this chapter, and I'm interested in hearing what you all think about...whatever caught your attention. Please leave a review with your thoughts!

Well, I guess I've said all I have to say. Special thanks again to mars494 who has helped to beta this chapter.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

For my anonymous reviewers:

**dUsHala:** I'm glad you're enjoying this story! Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed the update!

**dobie1201:** Welcome aboard! I'm glad you're enjoying this story. Thanks for reading and reviewing; I hope you enjoy the update!


	19. The Cost of Loyalty

**Chapter 19: The Cost of Loyalty**

**Security Room, Manticore**

"Everything going according to plan?" Lydecker asked the trainer standing beside him.

"Yes, sir. The majority of Unit 9 was captured successfully. Unit 1 has already begun the interrogation process."

Lydecker nodded and watched the live feed from the 'enemy base' located on one of their training fields.

"When this is over, make sure Unit 1 comes out first in Class Bravo. Seems they really want to redeem themselves," Lydecker observed. It didn't really matter in the end. Unit 1 was already first in Class Bravo. If Unit 9 did as well as he suspected they would, Class Alpha would simply have three units instead of two. The rankings within Class Alpha would be determined only after their exercises against Units 4 and 6, permitting those two units continued to beat the other units. Of course, Unit 9 may not end up facing the other units in Class Alpha until after they recover from this exercise. By then, SAP would already over. They would just have to do so during their regular training time together. It would be arranged.

"Yes, sir."

"Who remains from Unit 9?"

"X5 designations 536, 729, and 134, sir. They have already regrouped after evading Unit 1's search teams and are most likely formulating a plan to extract their unit."

Lydecker nodded. He had already figured out Max's technique after watching their exercises the past few days. It wasn't that complicated, really. She was using the independence the X5s had to her advantage. It wasn't something Manticore would encourage, since it was better for them to be able to work as one, instead of several groups of one, but it worked well with Unit 9. Lydecker credited that to the close bonds the unit had formed, as well as the small size of the unit, but he recognized it wouldn't work with just any unit. He intended this exercise to test how close that bond would be in Unit 9. After Unit 1 would fail, his men would take over and begin the interrogation process for another day or so, using different techniques he was certain Unit 1 would not think of – it seemed all they could do was beat them up.

"Any new reports from Unit 1?" Lydecker asked.

"No sir."

"Good."

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

"Looks like they were all captured," Dart stated.

"Guess this exercise _was_ a bit too easy," Tri announced.

"Yeah. I just wish we saw that coming. Command's never done that before," Gai said.

Dart laughed dryly. "Command hasn't done a lot of things until we were recently formed. Take it out on the new ones, why don't they?"

"You might just get your wish," Tri muttered. "So what do we do now?

Gai looked at the position of the Sun. "We've got a few hours until sundown. Guess we will be missing dinner if we intend on getting them out."

Dart sighed. "Well, what do we know? The enemy base was occupied by patrols established by Command. Unit 1 later assisted the enemy in capturing Max and Kev. So Command and Unit 1 must be working together."

"For now, anyway. Unit 1 still has assessments tomorrow. We're the only unit on break, supposedly," Tri added. "I remember it from the schedules posted outside the building."

"So eventually Unit 1 will have to leave in order to obtain adequate rest. Command would take over. That would be our best time to strike," Gai suggested

"Or get caught," Dart reminded. "Command equipped Unit 1 with tazers. They're definitely going to be using them. My guess is Command wants to test our resistance – see how we would act under interrogation."

"Great. Just what we need. Torture," Tri muttered. "But we still have to try to get them out. That's what Command expects, and it's the only thing we can do. I'm not walking back to get thrown in with the rest of them."

"We'll have to wait until Unit 1 leaves before we know how many patrols there are. Doubt it'll be much longer though. Sun's almost down," Dart informed.

"Right. So we just keep moving until then. Unit 1 is no doubt still looking for us until their time is up."

**Enemy Base, Manticore**

"State your barcode, 452, and we'll call it quits," 942 demanded. He was Unit 1's CO, and rather furious they still hadn't gotten any information. He shouldn't be surprised, however, as all of them were taught to withhold information from the enemy. He just assumed that because his unit was a team of transgenics rather than Manticore scientists, it'd be easier, but now he realized how wrong he was.

Max and Kev were the first two to awake, having been rendered unconscious by a tazer as opposed to sleeping gas. Resultantly, they were also the first two questioned. Kev said nothing; shooting her aggressors evil glares at each beating. Max replied with her usual quips, angering them further, no doubt. They had spent more time on Max than Kev though, thinking she would be the weakest link since she was gone from Manticore for so many years. Unfortunately, they were too stupid to realize she was more unlikely to break than the others they captured. She had, after all, gone through Psy-Ops nearly unscathed. Of course, she didn't intend on them knowing that. She had a unit to protect.

"Kiss my transgenic ass, 942. You've got to do better than that if you think you can beat information out of me," she challenged. She looked around the room, taking in her surroundings. If this were to be played out as a typical capture scenario, then she would need to be thinking of a typical escape plan.

942 scowled in fury. They didn't have much time left and they still hadn't gotten any information from the 09er. What were they doing wrong? She was their weakest link, wasn't she? 942 told several nearby him to continue working on 452 with tazers while he went bother Kev. Command allowed them to deal severe damage to either the CO or their SIC, but not both. The other unit members were not to be harmed extensively since they were expected to be back in training shortly after the exercise ends. The most Max or Kev suffered thus far was a broken arm or a dislocated shoulder and more than enough bruises. They had mainly been using tazers to minimize physical damage. Anything that would heal within a few days would be acceptable.

The only problem with that was that the majority of them had been trained to withstand torture for at least a day. Unit 1 didn't even have a day. As the hours drained, it was starting to seem like an impossible task, given the time.

Kev groaned quietly to herself as another transgenic kicked her in the stomach. That was when 942 walked in. "Have anything to say yet 645?"

Kev remained silent, knowing the exercise couldn't last too long, right? Unit 1 had other things to do, didn't they? Then she realized Command might take over from there. _Crap_. It would be to their advantage to start looking for a way out.

"Has she said anything?" 942 asked the other transgenics. They only shook their heads. She was abnormally quiet, even for a transgenic. In spite of the pain she was feeling, she said nothing, not even a soft scream. It weirded out her attackers, but they still kept trying, tazering her here and there hoping to get a peep from her.

"Are any of the others awake yet?" 942 asked.

"Not the last time I checked," a female transgenic informed.

"Check again. This is getting pointless," he muttered as he walked away. The female transgenic left to check on their other captives.

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

"There's no sign of them anywhere," a male transgenic claimed with frustration.

"Just keep looking. They don't need us back at base anyway," another transgenic said.

"This is pointless. The Sun's almost down anyway. Our time is almost up," a female transgenic observed.

"We still have to try," another X5 declared.

As they rounded a corner, two transgenics blurred right at them, taking the five off guard.

"Looking for us?" Tri exclaimed, as she took out the female transgenic, having launched herself from the treetops.

A few groans were heard as Dart, Tri, and Gai rendered the five transgenics unconscious, taking their tazers.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." Dart grinned, observing the damage they did. "So if 5 of them were out searching for us, that means around 9 of them are inside, at least from Unit 1. There may be some working from Command in there as well."

Gai laughed. "Yeah, umm, we're still outnumbered."

"But we've got these babies," Tri reminded, holding up a tazer. "And they won't be expecting us."

"We'll still wait until Unit 1 leaves," Dart declared. "Then we'll just have to deal with Ordinaries. From their conversation, it sounds like Unit 1 will be leaving some time after sundown, so we don't have to wait much longer."

"Yeah, let's hope so. I hope our unit's not in too bad a condition when we get to them. Otherwise there's no way we can do well in the rest of the exercises we have left," Gai said.

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

"Sir, X5 designations 536, 729, and 134 just neutralized Unit 1's search unit. It can be assumed that they're now armed with tazers."

"Any results from Unit 1?"

"No, sir."

"Pull them out. They're not going to get anything anytime soon. Tell them they did well and to get some rest. We'll take over from here. I want a team out to bring in 536, 729, and 134."

"Yes, sir."

"How is Unit 9 taking the change of events?"

"Like a standard capture scenario, with the exception of reporting back to base. The remaining X5s are trying to save their unit, assuming they have base's approval. They are now waiting for the best time to attack. We suspect they're waiting until nightfall."

Lydecker nodded. "Don't give them the opportunity. Take two teams to bring them in."

"Sir, there's three of them. Realistically speaking, the odds are against them."

Lydecker chuckled at that. "The odds have been stacked against them since day one. Unit 9 isn't your ordinary unit. They're some of the best soldiers we have. You told me yourself – those three just neutralized five X5s. If that's reflective of anything, they won't have any problem neutralizing one team. So bring two."

"Understood, sir."

**Enemy Base, Manticore**

Viper awoke and attempted to get up, realizing then that she was handcuffed. She had not been expecting a capture scenario – not that it was unheard of, but it was also rare. Capture scenarios were never fun – Command ensured they at least underwent some interrogation before releasing them. She had only been through it one other time, and that was years ago. She took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the light. Looking around, she noticed she was in a small cell. She couldn't see anyone else, however, so she had no clue as to where everyone else was.

"Anyone else here?" she whispered.

"Viper, is that you?" Joy asked.

"Joy? Yeah, it's Viper," Viper assured. "Who else is awake?"

"You guys are loud," Cody muttered. "I just woke up, thanks to you."

"Just me and Cody then, I guess," Joy guessed.

"What happened? Last thing I remember was Cody downloading the database and then getting gassed," Viper asked.

"Nic, Ammo, and I were coming to check on you when the building went into lock down. We got gassed too. I just saw Unit 1 leaving though, so I think they were helping interrogate whoever is awake. I thought I saw them take away Ammo earlier. Command's coming to finish the job. I just saw a TAC team arrive," Joy explained.

"Have you heard from Nic?" Viper asked.

"Not yet," Joy replied. "Haven't seen Fin either."

"Great, I hate these. I don't even remember the last time we were in a capture scenario. The only thing I do remember was being in the infirmary for a week after," Cody muttered. "That was years ago though."

"We've had resistance training in Psy-Ops like everyone else, but I don't think I've ever been in one before," Joy admitted.

"They're not common," Viper muttered. "Usually because they render us inactive for so long. But I guess while we're not expected to be deployed for a while, being a new unit and all, now is the best time for them to have one."

"What do they want to know?" Joy asked.

"Barcode number. Who sent us. Mission objectives. How many others there were. Simple stuff," Viper recalled. "As soon as we answer even one of their questions, it's over, but for the individual, not the unit, I should clarify."

Joy sighed. "Great. I'm not good at these things..." she murmured.

"It'll be alright," Cody reassured. "Just hold out for as long as you can."

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

"Hey, you guys hear that?" Dart asked, holding his hand to tell them to stop.

"Yeah, but it sounds like it's coming from every direction," Gai stated.

"I'll check it out," Tri said, scaling a tree. Her eyes widened as she realized it _was_ coming from every direction. "Umm, guys, it _is_ coming from every direction. We're being surrounded...by Command soldiers. There's no way we're getting out of this one. There's just too many of them." Tri jumped back to the ground as she gave them the information.

"Damn it. Guess Command wants us in there too. We'll I'm not fighting my way through this. Better to be conscious, and assess the situation when we get there, than unconscious," Dart announced.

"That's assuming they're going to allow us to be conscious," Gai reminded.

"Right...damn," Dart muttered.

A few minutes later, soldiers surrounded the three, who held their hands up in surrender – not that it mattered, the soldiers still fired their stun guns to render them unconscious.

**Enemy Base, Manticore**

Lydecker decided to monitor the session from the security room. He knew Max would not appreciate his presence there, and it would not go well in earning her trust. Of course, in the end, he knew that Max would know he had ordered this exercise, and she would hate him for it just the same.

Max, Kev, and Ammo watched as Dart, Gai and Tri were brought in and tossed on the floor. Their last chance at escape was now gone.

A soldier wearing a ski mask to hide his identity walked up to Max. "Friends of yours?" he barked.

"I've never seen them in my life," Max informed, looking the soldier right in the eye to make her statement more believable.

The soldier chuckled before backhanding her. He moved on to Kev, asking the same question. Kev said nothing, sticking with her silence and giving the soldier a defiant look. The soldier tazered her then moved on to Ammo, asking him the same question. Ammo shook his head in answer, earning him a punch to the face.

"Well since they're not friends of yours, then you won't mind if we rough them up a bit," the soldier declared. As if on cue, the other soldiers that brought in the three started kicking at the transgenics who were still unconscious.

The head soldier had several soldiers bring in two more transgenics – Fin and Nic, both of whom were dripping wet. They had been submerged underwater for long periods of time to a point of nearly drowning. Even Fin seemed tired. These soldiers knew all about them, of course, so they knew Fin's limits, and even she wouldn't be able to fool them. They had just finished their individual assessments – Manticore knew all their strengths and weaknesses. There was no pretending – something that would technically be doable in hostile territory, yet Manticore wasn't allowing it. Talk about unfair.

"Do you know these people?" the head soldier asked Fin and Nic.

The two promptly denied ever seeing them, so the soldier sent them away again for more near torture. Another series of soldiers came in bringing Cody, Viper, and Joy. They seemed unharmed and were struggling against the manhandling.

"Let go of me!" Viper yelled.

Their struggles were subdued when the soldiers tazered them and tossed them on the floor.

"Let me guess. You don't know them either," the head soldier stated, directing his attention to Max, Kev, and Ammo.

"Right on," Max quipped. "You're getting smart." She could have sworn the soldier glared, but it was hard to tell with the ski mask.

"You've got quite a mouth on you kid," he muttered as he walked back towards them. He gestured for the soldiers to take Ammo away, as well as the other unconscious transgenics. Another group of soldiers were to deal with them.

"Since you and your friend here seem to be the leaders, I'll make you a deal. You tell me who sent you, what you were doing here, and how many others of you there were, and I'll let your friends go. You don't...and I won't stop my men from beating them into a bloody pulp."

Kev and Max exchanged glances. This was brutally unfair. Ironically, it was what Renfro had threatened to ensure Max's loyalty to Manticore. Now that she was 'loyal', they were threatening her with just the same to betray Manticore. They both knew what they had to do though.

"I told you, I have no idea who they are," Max stated, trying her best to not flinch when she watched the soldiers take their anger out on Cody, Viper, and Joy.

Kev watched it all in silence, her stoic mask giving away nothing, but neither of them felt good about what was happening, and it would only be so long before that would show.

In another room, both Fin and Nic were submerged into the water for long periods of time while facing questioning. It was becoming harder and harder to resist as Fin realized her greatest strength was also a weakness, and Nic's childhood fear of water began resurfacing.

Gai, Tri, and Dart were awoken in another room full of soldiers when they were blasted with cold water. The soldiers immediately separated them and began their questioning. Ammo was already being questioned by a group of soldiers in another room. It would be a long night.

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

Lydecker allowed the exercise to last a few more days. The Skills Assessment Period was nearly over, and it certainly would be by the time Unit 9 would be released, but he had already arranged for Class Alpha's instructors to set aside some time for Unit 9's testing, so they didn't miss much.

Although the group showed very little indication of breaking any time soon, he had learned about the names they called each other when they thought no one else was listening. While they rested, they would talk to each other in their cells, reassuring each other it would all be over soon. So Max had introduced to them the concept of names. He should have expected it.

The extra time allowed Lydecker to see the bonds that formed in the unit. It was evident 321, or rather, Nic, was fond of 863, also known as Viper. Ammo and Joy were friends with Nic, trying to help him get rid of his fear of water. They had been together since childhood and knew instantly that he was not doing so well with the interrogation. Dart, Tri, and Gai had formed their own bond, having worked together extensively once Max created their groups. Viper and Fin were also good friends. Lydecker had read a report where Fin once saved Viper's life in a previous mission. Cody had been in Viper's unit, which served as a connecting link. Their group exercises strengthened their bond. Kev was generally silent. He had looked into her file and couldn't really understand 645. 645 was a model soldier, and although she seemed like the typical Manticore soldier lacking a personality, she clearly had one, hidden under the Manticore mask. She seemed to only confide in Max, however, and rarely talked to anyone else. He had a lot of questions for the quiet girl. He made a note to question her former CO.

"Sir, nothing has changed. Your instructions?"

"Keep going," Lydecker said dismissively.

"Yes, sir," the soldier replied before leaving.

Lydecker knew they would hold out for a long time. That was what they were made to do. He also could tell what he was doing to them was hurting them – not just physically, but emotionally, and so he wasn't intending on keeping it up for too much longer. In a real combat situation, they would be able to cope with it because they would know it wasn't Command that was doing it to them – it was a real enemy. But that wasn't the case right now, and their spirits were not so high as the exercise dragged on.

Max always had a weakness for caring too much for her siblings – it was what led him to Seattle when she asked a private investigator to look into it – but Lydecker couldn't really fault her for that. As much as it was a weakness, it was also one of her greatest strengths. It was what made her unit strong enough to escape. Yet he could see that what he ordered the soldiers to do was hurting her, even though she hid it well. He could see it in her eyes.

In a sense, it pleased Lydecker that Max cared enough about her unit to wish them no harm. In another sense, it brought him guilt for doing this to them. It wasn't really necessary – Max had already proven herself by returning, yet he just wanted to be sure that she wouldn't abandon them if they were to leave on a mission. He knew once they joined Class Alpha, missions wouldn't be too far off in the horizon. They would be ready.

**Enemy Base, Manticore**

"We've been here for over a week now," Nic mumbled.

"It'll be over soon," Viper reassured.

"You said that yesterday," Nic reminded.

It was night now and the soldiers were taking a break from interrogating them.

"Just hold out a little longer, Nic," Viper tried. She had seen Nic several times in the past few days, and he was starting to look more and more lost. She had asked Joy and Ammo why, and they explained to her how he had a fear of water dating back to the days they were forced to train their breathing in the tank.

"I'm not sure I can, Viper," Nic muttered.

"Do it for me, Nic. I know you can."

Nic was silent, and Viper knew he would try.

"I guess this is why we didn't have a schedule after our exercise with Unit 1," Ammo said from another cell nearby.

"If I had known these were their plans, I would have gotten myself sent to the infirmary a while ago," Cody joked.

"I'm sure all of us would have," Gai laughed.

"God I'm tired. Even us genetically engineered soldiers need our sleep. I hate being sleep deprived," Tri complained.

"How long do you suppose we'll be in the infirmary after this?" Dart pondered. "I know I have several broken ribs by now."

"We're missing the rest of SAP," Fin pointed out. "In fact, it's probably over by now."

"Well, we defeated all the units in Class Bravo. You think that puts us in Class Alpha?" Joy pondered.

"I hope so," Ammo replied.

**Lydecker's Office, Manticore**

A knock at his door signaled the arrival of the X5 he summoned.

"Enter."

"X5-848, reporting, sir!"

"At ease, soldier."

The soldier switched to the relaxed position. Lydecker could tell his reputation was certainly intact with this soldier. 848 had no idea why he had been summoned, and it unnerved him.

"Tell me what you know about 645."

848 was confused. Why was the colonel asking about 645? "645 specialized in stealth, reconnaissance, and tactical analysis when she was with Unit 5, sir."

"I'm sure you are aware of Unit 9 achievements. Their victory against Unit 5 should give you an idea that those rumors you heard a while back are indeed true. Were you aware she was chosen to be the second in command of Unit 9?"

848 did well to mask his surprise, but he certainly did not know that. "No, sir."

Lydecker nodded. "Tell me, 848, was there any reason why you did not appoint 645 for any missions after your successful mission five years ago in California?"

848 went silent. No one from Command had ever questioned his decisions concerning 645. It did well in keeping their secret safe. Now Lydecker was back and asking about her. Would he send them to Psy-Ops for not reporting it sooner? If so, he should just not report it, right? But then he would be betraying Command, and if they ever found out he did that, he would surely be sent to Psy-Ops for an indefinite amount of time.

Lydecker watched the transgenic carefully, seeing there clearly was something he was hiding from his sudden silence.

"848, if you don't tell me now, I have other ways of founding out," Lydecker warned.

848's heart rate quickened with the threat, fearful of Lydecker's warning. He was in no mood for Psy-Ops. "Sir, I did not appoint 645 after the mission in California because she is a flight risk, sir."

Lydecker's eyes widened slightly, but that was the only indication he gave of his own surprise at the discovery. "Explain."

"Sir, after our mission was completed, we had some time in town before returning to base. 645 wandered away from the group and went on her own to explore. It wasn't too big of a problem since I trusted that she would return. She was one of my best soldiers at the time. When she didn't, however, I went looking for her. She didn't want to come back, and so we brought her back ourselves by force."

Lydecker watched 848 carefully as he retold what happened. He recalled that according to the report, 645 suffered a head injury from a fall. He concluded her unit must have knocked her out to bring her back. Now he understood. "Why were you covering for her, 848? If she was a flight risk, you should have reported it."

848 shifted uneasily, feeling Lydecker's controlled anger. "Sir, I was watching out for my unit. They don't deserve to be sent to Psy-Ops for one soldier's mistakes, and I kept a watchful eye on 645 until she was transferred to make sure she wouldn't flee, sir."

Lydecker sighed. Well, at least he knew why 645 got along _so_ well with Max. They were both after the same thing. "Very well then. You're dismissed 848."

"Yes, sir." 848 saluted the colonel and left, wondering if he had just thrown his unit into Psy-Ops by telling the colonel what had happened.

Lydecker watched 848 leave. He wouldn't send Unit 5 to Psy-Ops. He trusted 848 was telling the truth, and that his unit was loyal to Manticore. Of course, the ideal Manticore soldier would have reported the incident regardless of the consequences, but they were still human after all. They cared for one another to some extent, and it was unlikely that Psy-Ops could ever change that. Animals were social creatures. They thrived on one another, and technically speaking, these soldiers were made from animals.

As for 645...was she still a flight risk?

* * *

**A/N**: Ok, so you're all probably wondering where the heck I've been. Then again, perhaps you all have forgotten about this story! I hope not...My apologies for delaying the update for so long. I've been swamped in schoolwork. The good news is - school is finally out! And I have time to update! And reply to all your reviews. I'm going to update first...and slowly reply to all your reviews. A bit of a change, but I don't think you all should be kept waiting any longer! But you will all receive a review reply from me!

The next chapter will be the final chapter in this story. A sequel is expected...but I haven't had any ideas for beginning it. As a result, I'm not sure when it'll be available. If you're interested in receiving a PM or email from me when the sequel is up, please leave your email or leave a message letting me know of your interest. If you have a account, I'll PM you. If not, I'll be more than happy to email you. Just leave me some form of contact. I'll be repeating this message in the final chapter. If you left a message in this chapter, then you won't need to repeat it unless you don't get confirmation from me that I have marked you down.

Finally, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's not the happiest of chapters, and I'm not really sure why I included these events, but it was what my muse told me to write, so I did. As always, I love hearing your thoughts! Please leave them!

Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I'm glad to have so many loyal fans. A special thanks goes to mars494, who has not only beta-ed this story, but made sure I was still alive when I seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet.

For my anonymous reviewers:

**Labyrinths Scribe**: In my view, Max isn't Max without a little butt kicking, hehe. I'm glad you enjoyed the MA scene. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoy the update!

**dushaLa**: Heh, sorry, I have a tendency to end with cliffhangers. Hope you like the update! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Ty450**: I'm happy to hear that people are actually reading this on Raising Hell as well. It seems obscured over there. But it's nice to know that it has also caught the attention of some readers. Thanks a lot for reading and reviewing!

**itra**: Glad you enjoyed the chapter. As for them escaping...you'll have to wait and see. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	20. Class Alpha

**Chapter 20: Class Alpha**

**Enemy Base, Manticore**

As morning approached, a series of footsteps were heard as soldiers came to get their prisoners. Relief spread throughout the group as the soldiers undid their restraints and sent them out – well, those that could walk. A TAC Leader waited for them outside. The soldiers lined up, standing at attention.

"As of now, your final exercise for the Skills Assessment Period is concluded. Your performance these past two and a half weeks have placed you in Class Alpha. Congratulations, soldiers. You are now one of Manticore's best units. You will report to the infirmary for treatment before returning to training. Class Alpha's training schedule will be delivered to your rooms tonight, but those of you immediately eligible for training are not required to report to class until two days later to give you adequate rest. You are dismissed."

"SIR, YES, SIR!" the soldiers yelled before giving a salute and heading back to base. All of them took their time, however, and those unable to walk were helped by their peers. So they were there for two weeks. It seemed like forever.

"Hell is finally over," Ammo declared as he limped back.

"Indeed it is," Cody exclaimed.

"I'm staying in the infirmary for as long as I can," Tri announced. "No way am I going back to training."

Gai laughed. "Good, at least I'll have company."

"Me three," Joy cried cheerfully.

"Aww, you're leaving me to go back to training by myself?" Dart exclaimed. He was probably one of the least injured.

"I'll be stuck in training, most likely," Fin reminded, coming up beside them.

Dart sighed. "Hey Ammo, can you break my arm? I don't want to go back to training so soon."

Ammo rolled his eyes. "Sorry, no can do. I'm out of arms," he grinned, indicating his broken arms.

Fin shook her head at their banter. "Shouldn't you be happy to be back in Class Alpha, Dart?"

Dart shrugged. "I guess. I mean, it means we're one of the best and all, but I'm not looking forward to meeting up with my old unit, in a sense," Dart mumbled. "We didn't all get along..."

The others nearby nodded in understanding. "I forgot about that," Tri stated. "I had some acquaintances in Unit 4 though. Didn't you have some people you got along with?"

Dart shook his head. "I generally kept to myself. I often got into fights with 343 and some of his friends. It always pissed off Alec."

Treading behind the crowd, Viper and Nic walked side by side.

"See, I told you it'd be over soon," Viper cheerfully told Nic, who simply looked dead.

"You said that everyday for the past two weeks," Nic mumbled.

"Cheer up, Nic. It's over now," Viper suggested.

Nic just shook his head and sighed. Viper frowned but said nothing more. Nic was certainly affected by the exercise. She could see it in his eyes.

**Sector B Forest, Manticore**

Kev and Max were told to remain behind for a debriefing. Both were confused, but remained behind nevertheless. As CO, generally only Max would remain behind for the debrief, if there was one. A few minutes later, after the rest of Unit 9 had left, Lydecker showed up.

"Congratulations," Lydecker began. "Unit 9 is now one of Manticore's best units, and they have you two to thank."

"Thank you, sir," the two X5s responded in unison.

"Since your unit has proven to be such a success, I have no choice but to start sending you out on missions." Lydecker watched the two carefully before continuing. He made no attempt to hide his hesitation in the decision. "Both of you will be undergoing solo operations training, to commence at 1900 for an hour until the course is complete. I would also like a list of any other members in your unit whom you think may be fit for solo missions."

He approached the two so that he was mere inches from their faces as he made his last statement. His voice was strong, yet not too loud. There was no threat in his tone, but the message was clear. "I'm glad you two have become such good friends. I'll be watching you."

It was then that both X5s knew that Lydecker knew their long-term goal, and for the first time since Max's return to Manticore, the fear she held for the man crept back. Of all the people that worked at Manticore, Lydecker knew her best. He would know how to keep her here, and now that he knew Kev might be in on it, the stakes rose.

Lydecker walked away, dismissing them as he did.

Max and Kev could only exchange glances, both knowing what the other was thinking. They didn't dare say anything until they were out of an earshot.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

About a week and a half later, after everyone was out of the infirmary, Unit 9 gathered in the rec room.

"Gee, I don't recall feeling this tired from a training in Class Alpha," Tri murmured.

"That's because you've been sitting in the infirmary for the past week," Dart muttered with a hint of jealousy.

Everyone laughed, except for Nic and Kev. Nic had been considerably silent these past few weeks, and everyone noticed it, but no one dared asked him about it. Every time they tried, he just walked away.

Viper eyed Nic, wondering if this time, things would be different, but shortly after the laughter ended, Nic stood up and excused himself from the group.

Just at that moment, Max entered the rec room with Alec. She had seen Nic leave before and knew he had changed since their exercise, but she was not about to let him miss this.

"Nic, where are you going?"

"Back to my cell," he answered dismissively. "I'm tired."

Max blocked the door, preventing him from leaving. "You're staying right here with your unit Nic. I've got something for all of you all."

Nic sighed and headed back to where the group was, sulking as he did. Max followed Nic, holding a bag of candy in one hand. Alec gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading off to find his own unit hanging around in the rec room. "I'll see you later," he whispered.

Unit 9 had gone silent as soon as Max entered, watching the exchange between their CO and Nic, as well as the bag of mysterious goods in her hand.

"Max, you finally decide to join us," Ammo declared. "And it's been...how many days?"

Max sent Ammo a death glare, which instantly had him regretting his words. He smiled sheepishly and turned away.

"Ignore Ammo," Joy said with a laugh. "We've all missed your visits, infrequent as they are."

Ever since Max and Alec officially declared their "relationship" status, Max had an excuse to hang out with her unit even less and less during their free hours. They already were in the same class, so it wasn't like they weren't nearly almost always together. She was initially upset with their reaction when she told them – many of them were wondering what took her so long, but now she came to laugh at the memory. They _had_ taken a while.

Max just laughed politely. "Sorry guys, I'm afraid this won't exactly be a long visit either, but I have a treat for all of you. Since you all worked so hard to get to Class Alpha, I managed to get you all some sweet treats to reward you for your hard work," she explained as she started distributing the bags of candy.

With the exception of Kev, who seemed unsurprised by the event and simply smiled at the news, and Nic, who only looked up slightly in interest, Unit 9's eyes widened with joy and delight from the news as they looked at the candy she got for them.

"This is from the outside!" Tri exclaimed in surprise. "I saw this in the shops in my last mission, but I never had a chance to try it. How did you get it?"

"You went on a mission!" Dart exclaimed, still not believing his own statement.

"Where I got the treats is a secret, but I have my sources," she explained with a wink. "Just enjoy it."

They were clearly disappointed with the lack of details, but as soon as she left to go find Alec, they all started whispering amongst themselves about their theories.

Nic sighed and gave his bag to Viper before getting up to leave again. This time, Viper went after him.

"Nic, wait!"

Nic just kept walking, not wanting to talk to her, of all people.

"NIC!"

Viper finally caught up with him and stopped him in his tracks by slamming him into the wall. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" Viper asked him.

Nic didn't dare look at Viper's eyes and cursed himself for allowing him to be trapped by her. "I told you. Back to my cell. I'm tired."

"That's the lamest excuse I ever heard. Nic, what the hell has happened to you? Ever since that exercise...you've been different."

"Nothing. Just leave me alone," Nic said, trying to break free from her grip.

But Viper kept her hold, not allowing him to go. "Nic, why can't you tell me? I thought you liked me."

Nic was silent, debating his answer. "But you don't like me," he finally stated as he broke free from her grip and ran down the hall.

Viper stood there, shocked. Her face hardened as she chased after Nic yet again with an anger she didn't understand.

Back in the rec room, Kev watched as the unit discussed their theories. She already knew Dart's declaration was true, but their other theories were amusing just as well.

"She stole it from the guards' break room after hacking the security panel," Cody suggested.

"Nah, Alec got it for her," Tri theorized. "He's always got these underground markets running with the guards."

"Maybe she found a way out and snuck it back in, like an underground tunnel," Gai tried. "Maybe she already has a escape tunnel out of here and has been using it to smuggle stuff in and out!"

"Yeah right," Joy said. "You might as well say aliens teleported in and out of here, giving her the candy. There's no way she'd be able to make a tunnel without Command finding out, is there?"

"She _is_ Max, Joy. They've escaped once, and that was without a tunnel. Tunnels are more discrete," Gai argued.

"I'm telling you, she went on a mission!" Dart explained. "It makes the most sense. I mean, remember those three days she was gone? That's when she went on her mission, got the goods and came back as if nothing happened. She's had it all this time but was just waiting until after SAP to give it to us as a reward."

Everyone grew silent at that, realizing Dart had a point.

"But wouldn't she tell us?" Fin asked. "I mean, that's big, especially for someone with her...history."

"Yeah, I mean, why would she not want us to know?" Cody asked.

Kev decided now would be the time to stop the conversation. "You all are over thinking it. Who cares where she got the candy from? Just enjoy it," she suggested as she tossed a piece of candy in her mouth. She then left to go watch the stars in the gym.

The others looked at her in disbelief. As soon as she left, a new conversation started. "Did _Kev_ just tell us _we_ were over thinking it?" Ammo questioned, stunned.

"She knows something," Dart accused. "She's the last person to say anything about over thinking anything."

The others nodded in agreement. One of Kev's specialties was tactical analysis, after all. It was what she did – analyze and over analyze a situation until the best scenario came up.

"It's just Kev being Kev," Joy defended. "Haven't you noticed she occasionally does things to surprise us, probably for her own amusement?"

Gai laughed. "That's possible. Kev does like being unpredictable."

"Or maybe we were getting closer and closer to the truth?" Cody offered.

"You think she knows?" Tri wondered.

"She and Max are pretty close," Fin explained.

"That they are..." Gai agreed.

**Unit 9 Barracks, Manticore**

Viper finally caught up to Nic, but Nic had already shut the door to his cell and wouldn't move, making it nearly impossible to open.

"NIC!" Viper yelled, banging loudly on the door. "NIC!! OPEN THIS DOOR NOW!!"

"GO AWAY!!" Nic yelled back. "I DON'T WANT TO TALK!!"

"NIC, I'M NOT LEAVING UNTIL YOU OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR. OPEN UP."

Nic ignored her as he took a seat on the floor next to the door to prevent it from opening. It was at times like these that he wished Manticore allowed them their own locks rather than a systematic lock that was in place after lights out.

"NIC!!"

Viper sighed and stopped pounding on the door. "FINE. BE LIKE THAT. DON'T EXPECT TO HEAR FROM ME EVER AGAIN," Viper declared as she took a seat beside the door, hoping Nic would think she had left.

Minutes passed as both waited each other out. Nic didn't know whether or not Viper really left, but he didn't mind waiting it out. When he felt an adequate amount of time had passed without hearing any movement outside his door, he got up and prepared for his shower. It was almost lights out and he wanted to shower before sleeping. Just as he peeked the door open a crack, a hand shot out and grabbed him by the collar. Another hand opened the door wider and allowed Viper into his room.

"Damnit Viper. Can't you see I want to be left alone?" Nic whined. "And I need to shower. It's almost lights out."

"Every time you're alone all you do is mope. You need to stop moping Nic. The exercise is done. Get over it. Everyone has a fear of something, but it doesn't have to continue to haunt them the rest of their lives."

"It's not like that Viper. It's not that easy!" Nic argued, annoyed now. "I can't..."

"Yes, you can Nic. You're just not letting yourself let go."

"Viper...just stop, OK? It's not like it's your business anyway." Nic walked passed her to head towards the showers.

Viper stopped him once again, pulling him back into the cell. "That's where you're wrong soldier. It is my business because when you're acting like this, it's affecting our unit, and if a unit is going to perform at top peak, it needs all its members on board."

"I'm doing fine in training Viper. It's not like I'm going to let the team down. Just leave me alone, god!"

"Well I'm NOT!" Viper finally yelled. "I can't stand seeing you like this," she admitted, her voice strong with emotion. "And it's making _me_ lose focus, OK?"

Nic looked at her this time, surprised. He didn't realize how much he had affected her. He thought she didn't care. In spite of the anger her features displayed, her eyes held a sadness he had not noticed in his depressed state.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you..." Nic said quietly. He had no idea what else to say and looked at the floor.

Viper's response was even more unexpected as she lifted his chin up and kissed him gently on the lips. Nic was surprised at first, but kissed her back within seconds. His shower was forgotten as the door closed to allow them some privacy.

**Training Grounds, Manticore**

"Seeing you were dying to get your unit back here, you must have missed Class Alpha," Alec began as he began a spar with Max. "It's because of me, isn't it?"

Max threw him down onto the mat and kicked him in the gut. "You wish, Alec. I wouldn't settle for any class less than Alpha, no matter what class you're in."

Alec grimaced at the thought of being in any class aside from Alpha. "You know, if we're going to be together, you really ought to treat me nicer," Alec replied as he tried a punch, but it was easily deflected.

Max smirked. "I'm not letting you win this match, if that's what you're getting at." Max jumped just in time to avoid a sweep kick. She then ducked as he tried to punch her. She rolled under his attack and landed behind him.

Alec moved just in time to avoid her grab. "Oh come on, Max. The trainer's seen me go down so many times recently. That look he's giving me is starting to bother me."

Max laughed. "So?"

Alec sighed in defeat. "You're cruel."

"You've got a big enough ego as it is. A few losses won't hurt," Max quipped.

Just then, Alec took her balance, causing Max to fall on her bottom. He grinned as he cheekily replied, "A few wins won't either."

Max glared as she kicked him in the shin hard before getting back up.

Alec gasped as he tried his best not to yell out from the unexpected blow to the shinbone. "Not...cool...Max. That's dirty," he bit out.

Max just smiled innocently. "What ever do you mean?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

Just then, the TAC Leader ordered them to line up. The field test for Unit 9 would begin to determine their standing within Class Alpha.

**Sector C Forest, Manticore**

After a few more days of training in Class Alpha, the day arrived where Unit 9's standing would be determined. Lydecker stood nearby as a TAC Leader explained the field exercise. Unit 6 had already defeated Unit 4 during SAP, so they currently held the first rank. Resultantly, it was decided that Unit 9 would go against Unit 4. In the meantime, Unit 6 ran through training exercises under the guidance of another TAC Leader while the other two units completed the exercises. There would be three exercises – best two out of three. Their first exercise was a simple hostage exercise very similar to their first exercise against the X6s. Kev volunteered to be the hostage this time, allowing Max to take the lead. After an intense battle, Unit 9 was declared the winner. They suffered more losses than in any other exercise they've ever been in, however. The second exercise was to capture the enemy base. The battle was long and hard, but once again, Unit 9 prevailed, again sustaining more casualties than they were accustomed to.

Unit 9 went on to face off with Unit 6, losing the first exercise but winning the second by a smidgeon. The last exercise would determine the top unit of Manticore, and it was no doubt an intense match.

"Max, you're going down," Alec whispered as they parted ways to take their place on separate sides of the field.

"We'll see about that," Max answered.

Max led her team away and they began sorting themselves out into their groups for their final exercise. "This is it everyone. We've already come so far, so all I can ask is that you all try your best. I'm really proud of my unit, no matter what the results are," Max declared.

Everyone cheered...even Kev. "Let's show them what we've got!" Dart yelled. They all dispersed into their assigned places and the exercise began.

It was one of their longest matches, and one-by-one, both sides lost their soldiers.

"Oh crap. Fall back and return fire!" Viper ordered to her group as five soldiers ambushed them.

"I got one of them!" Cody yelled as he went down.

"I'm down," Fin announced.

"I got another," Viper stated, but she too then fell. They managed to take down two of the five that ambushed them. At least it was better than none.

Moments later, Nic's group ambushed the three that eliminated Viper's group, taking them all out before they had a chance to return fire.

"That was nice," Nic commented as they continued onwards.

"They didn't even know what hit them," Dart grinned.

"Keep down your voices. You don't want to alert people of us," Joy warned.

The two rolled their eyes but became silent.

Max was moving stealthily along when a voice came out of nowhere. "I told you you were going down Max," Alec grinned as he eliminated Max.

Max glared at him but smiled when she watched him fall. Kev eliminated him. "You still sure about that?" she asked. She then directed her comment to Kev. "Great job, Kev."

Kev smiled slightly before moving on again, leaving the two "dead" in their place.

Dart's group managed to sneak up on four soldiers, eliminating all of them, but they lost Gai in the process. As they moved on, they regrouped with Nic's group. The five of them continued, not knowing the remaining soldiers of Unit 6 were hiding in the treetops watching them go.

As the group spread out to find the remaining members, simultaneous shots were fired.

"We're under attack!" Dart panicked.

"I'm hit!" Joy declared, followed by Nic.

"Shit! Where are they attacking from?! I'm down!" Ammo muttered in frustration.

It was then that Tri spotted soldiers in the treetops. "They're up in the trees!" she declared as she dodged several line of bullets, taking aim and firing at a solider that had targeted her.

She then scaled another nearby tree while dodging another set of bullets. The soldier should have expected her fast climb, since Tri _did_ used to be in Class Alpha as well, but time makes the mind forget. Before the soldier registered Tri's presence, Tri had already eliminated her. Unfortunately for Tri, as she eliminated that soldier, another soldier in a tree across from her aimed and fired at her, taking her out of the match.

Dart rolled and took aim and one of the two remaining soldiers, noticing that the one he had chosen to eliminate was 343. He smiled slightly at that, but he knew he was out of luck when the last soldier from Unit 6 eliminated him.

The game was set, and Unit 6 was declared the winner. The two units congratulated each other for a good game. Both sides really had a challenge. Unit 6 could not deny that they were impressed with Unit 9's performance. The rumors were no joke – Unit 9 was really quite a unit.

**Rec Room, Manticore**

"I hope you all don't need any of this colorful paper," Nic declared as he carried a load of colorful paper out of the supply closet.

The others looked at him in surprise. Nic was talking...and pranking...again, no doubt. What happened?

"Oh don't give me that look, guys. I'll be nice to Max. After all, she did give us candy!" he reassured cheerfully.

"I'm glad you're back, Nic," Ammo grinned. "Because I can't wait to see Max kick your ass when this goes sideways."

"I still wish you the best of luck," Joy encouraged.

"Don't encourage him!" Tri chastised. "It'll just make things worse."

Nic frowned. "I'm getting her this time. You'll see," he muttered as he left the room to take the paper back to his cell.

As soon as he was out of an earshot, everyone looked at Viper, expecting an explanation.

"What are you guys looking at me for?" she asked.

"You were with him last. What happened?" Gai demanded. "I mean, we're all glad he's back, but he was so depressed. Surely that didn't happen on its own."

"I just talked to him, that's all," Viper explained vaguely, trying hard not to think about all the other things they did together.

"Just talked to him?" Dart questioned, not believing her.

"We already went through interrogation guys. No need to interrogate me," Viper reminded.

"We're just worried for Nic. We wanted to help him but didn't know how," Fin explained. "Perhaps next time we'll all be able to help him, if anything else goes wrong."

Viper blushed at that statement as she tried to find a way to explain it, but still vaguely, "Don't worry about Nic. He won't be depressed anymore," Viper promised.

Seeing her blush, the others exchanged glances. They didn't know what had transpired between the two, but they all had an idea that it would have been something only Viper could have done.

In another area of the rec room, Max and Alec were cuddled together on the couch watching another pre-Pulse movie.

"We totally don't do this enough," Alec whispered.

Max yawned and just pressed herself closer to Alec. "You're the one always wanting to practice sparring," Max teased. "Can't you just get used to me kicking your ass every now and then? It's not like I'm always winning."

"It's not that," Alec began, but he was lost for words. "I just...well, I just like sparring," he tried.

Max rolled her eyes. "You just want to reassure yourself you're not getting beaten by a girl, which you are, by the way."

Alec winced. "You just always have to be a bitch, don't you?"

Max punched him in the shoulder. "Be nice," Max said with a small grin.

"Oww. You're the one who needs to play nice," he muttered, rubbing his shoulder. "Now I'm going to have a bruise there."

"You're such a baby."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Would you two lovebirds keep it down?" 511 muttered. "There's a movie going on here."

Alec just glared at his second in command. The other transgenics knew by now the rumors of 452 and 494 were true, but they didn't dare gossip about it anymore. Max and Alec were officially the top two commanders in Manticore, and both of them could kick ass if provoked. They were a deadly couple, and anyone crossing their path in the wrong way would remember not to do it again. As Max's reputation in Manticore spread, respect for her grew. She was still an escapee, but they now viewed her in a new light. She was a damn good soldier, even if she was a traitor, and anyone with enough sense knew that.

A familiar figure appeared at the door and scanned the room. His eyes lit up with interest as he watched the transgenics scattered around the rec room, especially when he found the two he was looking for.

"494...452, in my office, now," Lydecker ordered.

Max and Alec heard the colonel arrive, but they didn't really register his presence. The two exchanged glances and quickly left the room, wondering what the colonel wanted. They could only hope that it wasn't about their...affections for one another.

Lydecker had read about the rumors noted in Max's file by Renfro concerning her relationship with 494, but Renfro had indicated there was no evidence that anything was really going on between them, so he had dismissed it. After all, he hadn't suspected that Max would fall for a Manticore soldier...but who was he to judge? He withheld a smile as he led them back to his office. Max certainly knew how to pick. 494 was one of their finest soldiers, after all, and Max had become one of Manticore's best soldiers as well. They were a perfect match. But would their affections for one another affect their field performance?

* * *

**A/N: **Ok, I meant to publish this two days ago, on the 20th, as that was the same day I published the first chapter of this story a year ago, but the site decided to have problems at that exact time, so I couldn't publish it on that day, much to my disappointment. I guess we can always try but some things just aren't meant to be. This is the final chapter of this installment. Thank you all for joining me on this adventure with Max, Alec, and Unit 9. I hope you all have enjoyed this story and will return for the sequel.

Taking the advice of my beta, I will update this story when a sequel is published to inform all followers. Please add this to your story alerts if you have not done so already to receive an update on the sequel! I will also try my best to inform everyone through email or PM of the sequel if you requested it during your review of the last chapter.

A special thanks goes out to mars494 who has helped beta this story and provided useful feedback through this story's writing. I'd also like to thank all my readers and reviewers. Knowing that so many people have been reading this story has helped motivate me to continue this story, and I'm glad to have so many loyal readers.

As this is the last chapter, I ask that everyone please leave a review, even those who normally don't review. The last chapter deserves that much, doesn't it?

Well, regardless, I hope you enjoy the final chapter! Please leave a review! I'll always reply (as long as you are signed in)

**P.S. **Although I typically send my reviewers reply first before I update, this time I'll be updating first again, so if you're still waiting on a reply, it'll come! Just wait a bit more!

For my anonymous reviewers:

**kerry**: I am indeed quite pleased with the results of this story! Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**black rose9**: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**dobie1201**: I'm glad you returned to read the new chapters and have enjoyed them. I hope you enjoyed this final chapter and will return to read the sequel! Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	21. Sequel Update

**A/N: **Hey everyone! Good news: the sequel has been posted under the working title - Fragmented Grey. Check it out if you're still interested. Please leave a review if you're interested in reading more. I will be basing the continuation of this story on the amount of interest there is.

Thanks for following Reins of Leadership! Hope you enjoyed it!


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